KNIFE CRIME AWARENESS WEEK 15th May - 21st May 2023
Kelvin Ward:
In April 2023 Kelvin Ward was attacked and fatally stabbed in Kinghurst late at night. Kelvin Ward was found with knife wounds after being attacked by a machete wielding gang. He was travelling in a car which was ploughed into another vehicle before stabbed by thugs who had fled the scene. They could not save the victim (who died at the scene) despite paramedics and an air ambulance rushing to the scene. A black Ford Fiesta was left damaged after crashing into railings near a pedestrian crossing. A red Ford Focus, black Vauxhall Corsa and Jeep was spotted abandonded also.
A local resident who wished to remain anonymous had stated that how the victim was chased down by a gang armed with machetes. They had chased him in several cars before stabbing and hacking him to death.
The police are still appealing for potential witnesses to come forward. Defendant Leighton Williams has been charged with Mr Ward murder. A 16 year old boy (not named for legal reasons) was charged with murder and violent disorder. A third person was arrested and has been released on bail as investigations continue.
Ongoing investigation.
Bailey Atkinson:
20 year old Bailey Atkinson was attacked on the High Street in Walsall January 2023.
Judge Michael Chambers KC told the defendants a date for trial and expected to last 8 weeks. The trial is expected to be before a High Court Judge. There are legal orders in place around their identities and paramount names are to not be discussed on social media as it is a contempt of court.
Trio 15 year old and two 16 year olds were arrested at a hotel in North Wales and were charged a few days later. A port-mortem revealed Bailey Atkinson had died of multiple stab wounds and died of his injuries after attending hospital. A total of nine defendants had appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court charged with murdering Bailey Atkinson.
Clifton Waite:
Clifton Waite was murdered in Small Health by a fatal stab wound in November 2022. The paramedics had tried to save him but he was pronunced dead at the scene. Lenville Waite charged with murder of brother Clifton Waite.
Akeem Bailey:
Akeem Bailey was stabbed in the neck in Ladywood on the 30th October 2022. He had died in hospital five days later. Zechariah Nelson was armed with a knife to a pre-arranged meeting with the victim on the day of the attack. The killing was a result over a dispute over a phone. The injuries were serious and the victim had remained in an induced coma. His injuries were unsurvivable.
Detective Inspector Jim Colclough of West Midlands Police said "by just carrying a weapon you are putting yourself in a position where it can be used in the spur of the moment and destroy lives. A teenager has lost his life and another has lost his freedom".
Zechariah Nelson was convicted of manslaughter at Birmingham Crown Court. He was convicted of wounding with intent and having a bladed article. The court was told a week before the incident that Nelson had been released from a mental health unit where he was held under a hospital order. A number of Section 60 orders was implemented in Ladywood and surrounding areas as a result of the murder.
Sentencing awaiting.
Cody Fisher:
Cody Fisher was stabbed on a Birmingham dance floor and died at the scene just before Boxing Day 2022.
The club's license was withdrawn in the wake of Cody Fishers death. Life-saving bleed kits were installed at several clubs and venues throughout Birmingham. The equipment was supplied by the Daniel Baird Foundation (a mother set up the charity as a result of her son was murdered in 2017)
Kami Carpenter and Remy Gordon were charged with Cody Fisher murder. Reegan Anderson was arrested by West Midlands Police and charged with murder and affray. He was remanded in custody. The murder trial is due to start at Birmingham Crown Court on July 3rd.
Trial pending.
Sekou Doucoure:
On the 12th July 2022 Sekou Doucoure was fatally stabbed on Nursery Road, Birmingham. He was chased by gang members involved in a 'postcode war' and brutally murdered. Sekou Doucoure who was carrying a knife had fled as Pierre Thomas (18 years old) fired a blank gun twice. As he fled another man joined the offenders and chased after Sekou Doucoure. Sekou Doucoure was fatally stabbed in the chest and died at the scene despite attempts of resuscitation.
Armed police officers had responded to shots fired in Villa Street and were searching the area when they were flagged down by members of the public. They had raced to the garage where a fight broke out between the victim and offenders and immediately begun resuscitation.
Two teenagers aged 18 and 16 years old sentenced custodial sentences for manslaughter of Sekou Doucoure. The individuals were found guilty of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear and a knife. They were sentenced to nine years detention. Douglas Marshall, representing prosecution had said that Sekou Doucoure death was a tragic reminder of the costs of street violence and possession of weapons.
Ian Kirwan:
A 15 year old boy had murdered Ian Kirwan by stabbing him in the chest outside an Asda Supermarket in Redditch in March 2022.
The boys who had travelled from Birmingham had travelled to Redditch to have their idea of 'fun' but the publics fear of 'terrorisation'. The purpose of the journey from Birmingham to Redditch was unclear to the jury, however they caused a disturbance from start to end. They had caused a "havoc" on the train, standing on seats, throwing rubbish and fighting amongst each other. CCTV had showed that a flash of a blade in the pocket was picked up by one of the defendants - the same knife that inflicted the death of Ian Kirwan.
The incident occurred as a result of Ian Kirwan challenging the group of boys who had banged on his cubicle door in the toilet and was messing around. CCTV had captured the teenagers surrounding Ian Kirwan outside, some even hitting him with punches and kicks. The knife was thrusted into his chest, he had retreated into Asda to get support however died without making it to hospital. The knife was recovered by the police in a drain near Asda.
Over the course of the following days the police had identified and arrested the suspects. They were charged with murder under joint enterprise law. The trial was conducted under special measures due to their age. Barristers were instructed to remove their wigs whilst the defendants sat on the back row of the court (as opposed to the dock). The jury heard from a number of medical experts (the murderer had claimed diminished responsibility who was hauled to the police station by his own mother after confessing to have killed someone). The boy did not give evidence nor subject himself to cross-examination during the trial.
The 14 year old boy who had stabbed Ian Kirwan was found guilty of murder and possessing a knife. The judge had sentenced him to life with a minimum term of 14 years detention. The two 14 year old boys and 16 year old boy were found guilty of violent disorder, whilst the 16 year old had admitted to having a knife.
Marena Shaban:
Mohammed Arfan had stalked Marena Shaban from work to her home in Bordesley Green and stabbed her to death in the street on 28th January 2022. He had continued to stalk the victim through following her on social media, to her home and her work place. He was described as an obsessed taxi driver who brutally murdered his ex wife whist wearing an afro wig in disguise. Prior to the murder he had recently purchased a second hand car. On the day of her murder, he had drove past her shop a dozen times and watched her outside for an hour and half. He slit her throat inflicting a total of 20 knife injuries to the 41 year old as a child had witnessed the killing. It was submitted by prosecution evidence that he was caught on CCTV disposing the murder weapon, the wig he wore and his car.
Upon his arrest he had lied to the police about seeing the victim and made a false alibi to where he was on the night of her murder. He had feign grief through his interview and controlled responses of loosing a woman he had loved. He had even visited the scene of the killing and saw the body a while after he had brutally murdered her. The defendant had a history of controlling and coerceive behaviour over the victim by slicing his wrists and restricting her from socialising with anyone but himself and his family.
Judge Melbourne Inman QC had stated to the court that "this was a planned attack which arose from your jealously". He had pleaded guilty to murder and admitted possession of an offensive weapon and was sentenced to life of a minimum term of 22 years. The judge had ended the trial with a closing statement "Marena told those at work you were stalking her and she felt frightened. Sadly she was right to be frightened. On the 28th of January you murdered Marena. It was a savage and planned attack".
Until the next Legal Thought,
Elicia Maxwell
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