Teenage boys found guilty of killing Cramlington dad of 2
Five teenage boys have today been found guilty of killing Cramlington family man Danny Humble
Last updated 5th Jul 2022
Five teenage boys have today been found guilty of killing Cramlington family man Danny Humble.
The 35-year-old father of two and his partner were on a night out when they encountered a group of teenagers at an underpass near Romsey Close, Cramlington, in the early hours of May 29 last year.
They had shared a joke with Mr Humble, that he looked like the TV presenter Ant McPartlin moments before the attack.
The teenagers, then aged 16 to 18, surrounded him near an underpass, repeatedly kicked him on the floor and left him with a "catastrophic" head injury from which he could not recover, jurors were told.
He was rushed to hospital but passed away the following day from his injuries.
An investigation was launched and seven teenagers – aged between 16 and 17 at the time – were arrested and later charged with murder.
A jury at Newcastle Crown Court found 18-year-old ex-soldier Alistair Dickson of Hawkins Way, Blyth, guilty of murder.
Ethan Scott, of Mallard Way, Blyth, Kyros Robinson, of Woodside Avenue, Seaton Delaval, and Bailey Wilson, of Mitford Avenue, Blyth, all aged 18, and a 17-year-old who can’t be named due to his age were all found guilty of manslaughter.
All five males will be sentenced in September. During the trial, two teenagers were acquitted.
Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Brooks, of Northumbria Police, said: “This is a truly tragic case in which a father lost his life and our thoughts very much remain with Danny’s heartbroken family and loved ones.
“Danny was a very respected member of the Cramlington community and leaves behind two completely devastated children, a committed partner, loving family and countless friends.
“This has been a complex investigation that has relied on the support of the community to come forward as witnesses and assist with the case – and I would like to thank people for their assistance.
“I also want to thank Danny’s loved ones for their patience, cooperation and the dignity they have shown during the investigation and court proceedings.”
Det Chief Insp Brooks added:
“So many lives have been destroyed by what happened that night. Children have been left without a father and those responsible have caused pain and suffering for their own loved ones and shattered their own chances of a happy future.
“No one wins where violence is concerned and I want to send a clear message to anyone who believes that such actions are acceptable– the consequences are devastating and can rip lives apart.
“As a Force we are fully committed to tackling violent crime and working with partners will continue to play our part in ensuring the region remains one of the safest in the country.”
Danny's mother Deborah has paid tribute to her son:
“On 29th May 2021 my life turned black.
“Danny had dropped his children off, then seven and five-years-old, for a sleepover, he and his partner were going on their first date since lockdown restrictions had eased.
“Danny and the children were laughing, singing, and joking together. They were talking about the plans for the next week – half-term.
“He kissed and hugged us all and gave a wave and left, then jokingly came back for another wave and smile.
“Hours later police were at the door and my memory just turns to black after that.”
She added: “We lost a devoted dad, someone who always saw a positive in any negative.
“He loved music and films and his beloved Newcastle United was never far from his thoughts.
“His family, friends and his work colleagues are devastated. The ripple effect of his death has rocked the community of Cramlington.
“Danny’s death has destroyed us all in different ways. For me, he was my first born, my son, my friend a piece of my heart.”
His father, Vaughan, said: “We are a family incomplete, we are in the dark.
“One of the mainstays of our family and a guiding light has been cruelly snatched from us in dreadful circumstances from which we will never ever recover.
“There is a void in our lives and an emptiness that continually aches and tortures us. A once proud, fun loving and gregarious family has become withdrawn, reluctant to laugh and enjoy life, apprehensive of the pity that we continually see from others.
“Danny was loved by so many. Not only by the inner circle of his immediate close family but also by wider relatives, a multitude of friends and by work colleagues.
“He was caring, loving and compassionate and this was reciprocated by all.
“Above all, he was loved and adored by his heartbroken children. Danny thrived in their presence and showed his true colours as a very proud, caring and doting parent. The catastrophic impact of the loss of their Daddy will stay with them and have a real bearing forevermore.”
“In Danny’s absence, we will pick up the mantle and continue to guide them and teach them the values that Danny thought were so important in life.”
He added: “We will never again hear his laughter, witness his love of life or that dazzling six-million-dollar smile. He was a beautiful, happy and contented person, loved and respected by all.
“What we will see, in our moments of quiet solitude and in the minutes before we sleep at night and when we wake in the morning, are the dreadful images and scenes of Danny being attacked and when defenceless, being punched, kicked and stamped to death.
“We will recall the vivid testimonies of the witnesses and their accounts of the noises that they heard on that fateful night.”