Teen guilty of manslaughter has been sentenced
A 19-year-old man has today, been found guilty of manslaughter at Bristol Crown Court.
Last updated 26th Apr 2022
A jury dismissed Kairon Sawyers’ claim that he was acting in self-defence when he stabbed and killed Dontae Davis, 18, in Hayes Close, Lawrence Hill, Bristol on 14 October 2021. He was acquitted of murder.
Sawyers was handed a sentence of nine years in custody by The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Peter Blair, with a further 12 months to run concurrently for possession of a bladed article.
Sentencing, HHJ Blair said: “Bristol has had enough of knife crime. This case was the fifteenth incident. The picture of you holding the knife on social media is unacceptable.
“You took your knife, which was a high risk action that was likely to result in serious injury and high degree of danger, although you had no intent to kill.
“The aggravating factors are your previous conviction in 2019 as well as the disposal of the knife and clothing in this incident, to avoid being caught. The sentence is meant to punish you but also deter others in knife crime.”
The court heard that Sawyers, of Whitchurch, and Dontae associated with different groups of teenagers and that there was a history of hostility and violence between the two groups involving threats or use of knives.
During the trial the jury saw CCTV footage of an encounter that evening between Sawyers and Dontae on Clarence Road.
Dontae was walking with two other boys aged 15 and 17. The footage shows Sawyers riding a bicycle and stopping by the trio. He then wheels his bike up a grass bank and stops, before the other three follow him into an alleyway leading to Hayes Close.
Moments later Dontae lay dying from a stab wound to the heart as his friends called 999 and contacted his mother, who also rang for an ambulance.
The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to his age, stabbed Sawyers and admitted wounding with intent at an earlier hearing. He was today handed a 24-month Detention and Training Order. He will spend 12 months in detention then another year under supervision with restrictions in place and a requirement to undertake training.
CCTV shows that Sawyers cycled away, returning briefly to collect his dropped phone. He was arrested after seeking medical treatment. His knife, phone and top were never found.
Detectives found an image of Kairon Sawyers posing with a large knife on his social media and the month after Dontae’s death, Sawyers appeared in a music video posted on social media. The song’s title and lyrics “Splash and Brag” mean “stab and boast”. The video, shown in court, sees a group burn a green bandana similar to one in Dontae’s possession, an emblem of his group.
Kairon Sawyers appeared in a music video with lyrics about stabbings and in which a bandana similar to Dontae’s was burnt
Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Roger Doxsey of the Major Crime Investigation Team:
“Music can be a valuable way for people to deal with their experiences and express themselves. However I believe it’s clear from the lyrics and actions that this particular music video seeks to provoke ongoing rivalry between these groups.
“Sawyers told the court he was trying to change his life for the better, joining a programme which aimed to help him move away from violence, but on 14 October he was carrying a large knife and was prepared to use it. The jury understood that he intended real harm.
“Dontae and the 17-year-old were also carrying knives, and the fight they engaged in had terrible consequences.
“The truth is that carrying a knife does not protect you. Carrying a knife leads to serious harm and heartbreak. We’ll continue to work with our communities and partners on education and prevention to stop further lives being ruined – but rest assured of our determination to bring those responsible for knife crime to justice.”Dontae Davis, 18, who died after being stabbed by Kairon Sawyers
Statement from Dontae Davis' family:
“Dontae was strong, loving, caring, charming and a thoughtful son, brother, nephew and a friend to all. A young man of justice who always loved to do right for others and loved football, music and online gaming with his siblings and friends.
“Dontae was a ray of light with a distinctive cheeky smile, that would shine through any room he entered.
“He was a family oriented person who was playful and loved spending time with his younger siblings. His heart was pure and his intentions were true and never half-hearted and we as a family are deeply saddened by this tragic loss.”
His loss has devastated his family and those close to him, and has been felt hard in the wider Bristol community.
Dontae’s mother Niquae made a moving victim personal statement, describing how the loss of her beloved son had a devastating effect on all members of her family which would last for the rest of their lives.
She said writing the statement was an almost impossible task because of the emotional and psychological upset she has suffered.
Niquae said: “Since that date, the 14th October 2021, I have gone through every range of emotion that you could possibly imagine and at times I have felt so low and numb in every respect that I could barely function at all.
“Dontae was such as special son to me and we had a very unique bond throughout his life. He was a loving and caring son who had great empathy and understanding beyond his years. He overcame adversity with his speech, behavioural and language difficulties, had always attended school and had worked since he was old enough to do so, despite being haunted and pushed into a dark place that he did not want to go by others.”
She explained how Dontae helped to raise his younger siblings and how significantly they had suffered since his loss.
Directly addressing Kairon Sawyers, she said: “You have not only killed Dontae, you have destroyed and broken the lives of all the people involved with him, none more so than his family.
She went on: “A part of me wants Kairon Sawyers to suffer inside emotionally like I do every day, for his heart to break like mine has, for his soul and spirit to feel as hurt as mine, to feel the emptiness and void that cannot be filled and for him to be surrounded by an unimaginable loss and never ending grief.
“This world needs more good than evil. We do not live in a lawless society and there has to be a day of reckoning for those who do. I can only hope and pray that he will take the time to reflect on what he has done, the pain he has caused and come out on the other side a changed person who can add value to society, rather than to take it away.”
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