Ten teens handed life terms for the murder of a teenager in Houghton
Jack Woodley, 18, was fatally stabbed following a gang attack last October
Last updated 5th Aug 2022
Ten teenagers have been sentenced to life terms for murdering an 18-year-old as he walked home from a funfair.
Jack Woodley was fatally stabbed after being "surrounded and isolated" by a gang of youths who chased him down an alleyway in Houghton le Spring last year.
He had been enjoying a day out at the Houghton Feast funfair with his girlfriend when he was attacked by the teenagers, who he did not know.
He was punched, kicked, stamped on, and stabbed with a 25 cm "Rambo style" knife during the attack on 16th October a jury was told.
He passed away in hospital the following night.
Prosecutors said the group had gone out "looking for serious trouble that day" and tried to "create conflict" with Mr Woodley at the festival as they "looked for any excuse to attack someone".
The boys, aged from 14 to 18 were found guilty after a long trial at Newcastle Crown Court earlier this year.
On Friday, the 15-year-old who inflicted the fatal wound by stabbing Mr Woodley in the back was detained for a minimum of 17 years.
Judge Rodney Jameson QC sentenced the other nine defendants, aged between 14 and 18, to minimum terms of between eight and 15 years' detention after also being found guilty of murder.
He told them that if they are then released, they will remain on licence for the rest of their lives.
Following the sentencing Jack's mam Zoe McGill has spoken out:
Nine of the youths, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had denied murder and manslaughter.
It's understood that 9 of the 10 will now appeal their sentenced.
A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said:
“We can confirm that we have now received notices to appeal against conviction from nine of the 10 defendants found guilty in this case.”
Northumbria Police say you can never celebrate a sentencing, especially when somebody has lost their lives and the crime is so brutal.
DCI Joanne Brooks has spoken out after the sentencing:
Nine of the youths, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had denied murder and manslaughter.
One pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting he stabbed Mr Woodley but denying he intended to kill him, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
At the start of the trial in March, prosecutor Mark McKone QC said that while only one youth stabbed Mr Woodley, the other nine were guilty due to "the concept of joint enterprise".
A jury convicted all 10 defendants of murder in June.
Nine of them intend to appeal against their convictions, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed this week.
Sentencing the group, the judge said:
"No sentence can restore Jack to his family and loved ones, or reduce the pain they will endure now and in the future.
"It may seem unfair that you will be able to live at liberty while still young men, while Jack cannot because of what you did."
Judge Jameson said Mr Woodley had been due to start a job the Monday after he was attacked and was on the way to pick up keys for a new flat, saying he had "much to look forward to".
He said the group had attacked Mr Woodley "solely for the excitement and pleasure of inflicting serious injury on an entirely innocent and randomly selected stranger".
The judge told the defendants the violence inflicted on Mr Woodley "though short-lived, was appalling" and all of them "played a part in causing Jack's death".
He said six of the teenagers had given evidence during the trial, but none "was prepared to tell the truth about what the others did".
"Regret is not remorse."
He told them:
"You decided to put the interests of yourself and your co-defendants before those of Jack and his family. You did everything you could to deny them justice.
"I'm sure you do regret what happened for many reasons, but regret is not remorse."
Judge Jameson told the teenager who stabbed Mr Woodley:
"I have concluded that you intended to kill when you inflicted the second stab wound. I accept that intention may have been formed in the heat of the moment.
"It is, however, that sort of escalation that can occur when violence is carried out mob-handed and when armed with a deadly knife."
During the trial, Mr McKone said Mr Woodley was leaving the Houghton Feast funfair when the defendants, who he did not know, "surrounded and isolated" him.
One of the teenagers first put Mr Woodley in a headlock and punched him, before the others "joined in", the court heard. Jurors were told one of them was heard shouting "get the chopper" - referring to the knife - in mobile phone footage of the incident.