18 year old with vulnerabilities represented by Katy Thorne KC and Tariq Rashid of Rashid and Co acquitted of murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life

A young man who was accused of shooting, and then hunting down and being part of the stabbing of a 16 year old boy was acquitted by a jury yesterday of murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and possession of a sawn-off shotgun. He was convicted of other offences.

The young defendant, who was 17 at the time of the incident, was accused of confronting the deceased 16-year-old boy in the street and twice shooting a live gun at him.  He was also accused of then searching and hunting him down as part of a group armed with further guns and knives and confronting him again and stabbing him to death. The killing was alleged to be part of a gang feud. Katy’s client was first on the indictment and had ADHD and other vulnerabilities. The majority of the incident was captured on CCTV cameras. The five charges related to the stabbing incident, the earlier firearms incident involving a revolver and possession of another firearm, a sawn-off shotgun with his DNA, which was found in his shed.  He was acquitted of murder, acquitted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life (the revolver) and acquitted of possession of a shortened shot gun. He was convicted of manslaughter and possession of the revolver with intent to cause fear of violence.

Katy Thorne KC was instructed by Tariq Rashid of Rashid and Co.