10 teens found guilty of murdering 18 year old in Houghton
Ten teenagers have been convicted of killing another teenager on Wearside
Last updated 1st Jun 2022
Ten teenagers have been found guilty of murder, after an 18 year old was killed while walking home from a funfair on Wearside.
Newcastle Crown Court heard how Jack Woodley was "surrounded and isolated" by a group of boys, who chased him through an alley in Houghton.
The attack, which happened on October 16th, 2021, saw the victim punched, kicked, stamped on and stabbed with a 25cm long "Rambo" knife.
The 10 male defendants, who can't be named for legal reasons, were all charged with murder, with an alternative count of manslaughter.
One of the teenagers had already pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting that he stabbed Mr Woodley but denying that he intended to kill him, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
But on Wednesday, a jury convicted all 10 defendants of murder.
At the start of the trial in March, prosecutor Mark McKone QC said Mr Woodley and the defendants, whom he did not know, had been to the Houghton Feast before the attack in October 2021.
He told jurors the attack happened outside the Britannia Inn as the teenagers walked away from the festival.
Mr McKone said the defendants, who were all aged between 14 and 17 at the time, "surrounded and isolated Jack", covering their heads as they prepared to attack him.
He told the court one of the defendants first put Mr Woodley in a headlock and punched him, before the others "joined in".
Jurors were told one of them was heard shouting "get the chopper" - referring to the knife - in mobile phone footage of the incident.
The court heard one of the youths was "armed with a very dangerous knife", while another admitted taking a knuckle duster out that night, but denied hitting Mr Woodley with it.
Mr McKone told jurors Mr Woodley was outnumbered as the group "not only attacked him but prevented him from escaping and other people from helping him".
He said: "The prosecution say, based on the available evidence, that the defendants went out looking for serious trouble that day."
Jurors were told one female witness had gone to the first defendant's house earlier that day, where he had shown her "a machete style knife" and told her he had previously stabbed two people with it.
Mr McKone said the witness met up with him again an hour later, and four of his male friends, who talked about him "being in a gang" and "discussed how they were going to find someone tonight at the feast".
She told police the group had "seemed quite excited".
Mr McKone told the court: "This supports the prosecution's case that this attack was planned and the stabbing was planned, albeit they had no particular victim in mind at this stage."
Jurors were told another female witness had kissed another of the defendants at the festival, and was hit by a friend of his ex-girlfriend.
Mr McKone said when Mr Woodley, who did not know any of the defendants, asked one of them if he knew why the young woman had been hit, the defendant asked Mr Woodley "if he was starting".
The prosecutor said: "This seems to be one of the trivial reasons for the group attack.
"The group had been looking for any reason or excuse to attack someone."
Mr Woodley's girlfriend told police she was with him at the funfair when a "big group of lads came over saying Jack had said he was going to punch one of them".
Mr McKone said: "This was the group trying to create conflict with Jack so they could attack him."
He told jurors Mr Woodley left the festival but the group followed him, with one suggesting they should have a "one-on-one fight".
When Mr Woodley said he did not want to fight, one of the group patted him down to see if he had a knife before appearing to let him go, the court heard.
Several witnesses described the gang then putting their hoods up and "circling Jack from behind".
Mr Woodley's friend said in his evidence to police that, during the attack, "Jack got on the floor so he could curl up into a ball. He was so scared.
"Everyone in the group was just kicking the life out of Jack."
The court heard Mr Woodley died the next day, after "valiant attempts at the scene and in hospital" to save his life.
Zoe, Jack’s mother said: “Jack was my reason to live and succeed in life. From the moment Jack was born he brought light and love to us all.
“In the months before October, Jack had sat and passed his English and Math Level 3, CSCS Operatives Card, Forklift Truck License and had secured a job with Amazon which he was due to start the Monday after his death.
“Jack had also secured his own accommodation and had received the keys for this on the day he was attacked. We were all very proud of Jack and this should have been a very exciting time in his life.
“The devastation of losing Jack is immense and far reaching. The trauma of reliving this whole incident over a long trial has had a devastating effect on us all. We cannot see a way of recovering from this.
“We feel imprisoned by our grief and trauma.
“No parent, loved one or friend should suffer someone going to a fair and losing them forever. We will never be able to share treasured family moments with our ‘cheeky chappy blue-eyed boy’ ever again.”
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said:
“This was a truly horrific case. There really are no words but my thoughts remain with his family and those who knew and loved him.
"I do hope they can take some comfort from these convictions and my thanks go to all the investigating officers who have been involved in seeking justice. This should never, ever have happened.
"Every death is one too many. There really is an urgent need to tackle the causes of violent crime and prevent so many young lives being unnecessarily ruined like this and that’s exactly why I set up my Violence Reduction Unit.
"This is, and will remain a top priority – we have to do everything possible to fight and prevent crime and work as a region to steer young people away from violence and prevent such awful crimes happening here again in the future.”
The teenagers were remanded in custody until their sentencing in August.