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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Sharif Demirsay murder: Court scuffle after raid teens convicted | Sharif Demirsay murder: Court scuffle after raid teens convicted |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Scuffles broke out inside a court after three teenagers were found guilty of murdering a grandfather in a raid for gold and cash at his bungalow. | Scuffles broke out inside a court after three teenagers were found guilty of murdering a grandfather in a raid for gold and cash at his bungalow. |
| Sharif Demirsay, 65, was stabbed 11 times in Kempston, Bedfordshire. His partner was also stabbed. | Sharif Demirsay, 65, was stabbed 11 times in Kempston, Bedfordshire. His partner was also stabbed. |
| Courtney Glynn, 19, Muhammed Rashed, 17, and Hameedur Rahman, 16, killed Mr Demirsay on 14 May. | Courtney Glynn, 19, Muhammed Rashed, 17, and Hameedur Rahman, 16, killed Mr Demirsay on 14 May. |
| Supporters of the teenagers and members of Mr Demirsay's family clashed on a court concourse after the verdicts. | Supporters of the teenagers and members of Mr Demirsay's family clashed on a court concourse after the verdicts. |
| Jo Hobbs, of Bedfordshire Police, who was at court, said "emotions were running high" after the hearing and a "scuffle" broke out, which led to officers separating the people involved. | Jo Hobbs, of Bedfordshire Police, who was at court, said "emotions were running high" after the hearing and a "scuffle" broke out, which led to officers separating the people involved. |
| She said no arrests were made. | She said no arrests were made. |
| Turkish-born Mr Demirsay, whose real first name was Serafettin, was killed during the three-minute raid, in which 22-carat gold bangles, rings, earrings and £1,000 in cash was taken. | |
| 'Needless violence' | 'Needless violence' |
| The trial heard the three teenagers forced their way into Mr Demirsay's Vineyard Way home after he answered a knock at the door. | The trial heard the three teenagers forced their way into Mr Demirsay's Vineyard Way home after he answered a knock at the door. |
| They were armed with knives when they burst in and demanded: "Where's the gold, where's the money?" | They were armed with knives when they burst in and demanded: "Where's the gold, where's the money?" |
| Prosecutor Jane Bickerstaff QC said he was stabbed almost immediately. | Prosecutor Jane Bickerstaff QC said he was stabbed almost immediately. |
| She added that the intruders appeared to "encourage" each other to stab Mr Demirsay, with shouts of "kill him". | She added that the intruders appeared to "encourage" each other to stab Mr Demirsay, with shouts of "kill him". |
| The court heard Mr Demirsay's partner Parshini Salhotra tried to defend him by hitting one of the youths with a vacuum cleaner pipe, before she was stabbed in the arm. | The court heard Mr Demirsay's partner Parshini Salhotra tried to defend him by hitting one of the youths with a vacuum cleaner pipe, before she was stabbed in the arm. |
| Glynn, of Kempston, and Rashed and Rahman, both of Bedford, were also found guilty of unlawfully wounding Ms Salhotra. | Glynn, of Kempston, and Rashed and Rahman, both of Bedford, were also found guilty of unlawfully wounding Ms Salhotra. |
| Witness intimidation | Witness intimidation |
| Glynn and Rashed were convicted of aggravated burglary. Rahman had previously admitted the offence. | Glynn and Rashed were convicted of aggravated burglary. Rahman had previously admitted the offence. |
| Glynn was also found guilty of a charge of intimidating a witness and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. | Glynn was also found guilty of a charge of intimidating a witness and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. |
| A fourth defendant, Travis Dixon-Charles, 18, who was said to have acted as a look-out outside the property, was cleared of all charges. | A fourth defendant, Travis Dixon-Charles, 18, who was said to have acted as a look-out outside the property, was cleared of all charges. |
| Speaking after the hearing, Det Insp Tim Redfearn said: "The needless level of violence used and the ferocity and merciless nature of it for so little gain beggars belief, even for an experienced murder detective. | Speaking after the hearing, Det Insp Tim Redfearn said: "The needless level of violence used and the ferocity and merciless nature of it for so little gain beggars belief, even for an experienced murder detective. |
| "The killers didn't give either one of the old couple a chance to hand over what money they did have before launching into this appalling attack." | "The killers didn't give either one of the old couple a chance to hand over what money they did have before launching into this appalling attack." |
| Mr Demirsay's family said in a statement that an innocent man's life had been "tragically taken" and Ms Salhotra left "severely traumatised" by what she saw. | Mr Demirsay's family said in a statement that an innocent man's life had been "tragically taken" and Ms Salhotra left "severely traumatised" by what she saw. |
| The teenagers will be sentenced at Luton Crown Court on Friday. | The teenagers will be sentenced at Luton Crown Court on Friday. |