THREE TEENAGERS JAILED FOR STABBING DEATH IN MANCHESTER

Three teenagers have been convicted and sentenced following the fatal stabbing of Vernard Murray, 26, in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, on 23 October last year. Lee Williams, 19, was convicted of murder and jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years and 74 days. John Harte, 19, and Riley McDermott, 18, were convicted of manslaughter and received sentences of six and eight years respectively in a young offenders institution. All three had denied murder.

The incident occurred at approximately 2.20pm on Hambridge Close when a hired silver BMW chased a silver Ford Focus before colliding with it. CCTV footage presented at Manchester Crown Court showed Williams and McDermott exiting the vehicle immediately after the crash. Murray was stabbed twice during the ensuing attack. Following the incident, one of the teenagers was filmed making a stabbing gesture before ordering an Uber; a BMW used in the killing was subsequently set alight after another teenager was overheard instructing someone to "burn it". The four-week trial concluded with unanimous jury verdicts.

At sentencing on 17 July, Mr Justice Andrew Baker stated: "This was a group attack, with planning and premeditation. You were all motivated by revenge." The court heard that Murray "had his whole life ahead of him. He had hopes and dreams and people who loved him". The convictions follow investigation by police into the circumstances of Murray's death in the street.