Owen Dunn: Teenagers given indefinite sentences for murder
Owen Dunn was stabbed to death on Mazurek Way in North Swindon in December 2022
Last updated 5th Jan 2024
Two teenagers have been sentenced to minimum terms of 19 and 12 years in prison respectively for murdering 18-year-old Owen Dunn in Swindon.
Tyler Hunt, 18, of Park South, and a 15-year-old boy who can’t be named for legal reasons, were unanimously convicted of his murder by a jury at Bristol Crown Court in November.
Today (05/01) they appeared again at Bristol Crown Court where they were told they must serve indefinite sentences and can only be considered for release at the end of their minimum terms.
Owen was cycling to his girlfriend’s house on Mazurek Way, North Swindon, when he was stabbed with a machete on December 4.
His death rocked the community, and left his family and friends devastated.
Owen's death has prompted campaigns against knife crime in Swindon too, with his family setting up Owen's World in his memory.
The group aims to improve services offered to young people to stop them using knives.
Wiltshire Police has thanked the local community for providing evidence which played a "vital" part in their investigation.
Detective Sergeant Louise Kuklinski from Wiltshire Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team said: “I cannot emphasise enough how incredibly grateful we are to the public for the information and evidence they provided us with.
“People gave us private CCTV footage, dashcam footage from their private vehicles, Ring doorbell footage, and witnesses gave us their details and were willing to be not only a part of this investigation but also part of a Crown court trial for murder.
“Anytime anything like this happens everybody is going to be left in shock and left feeling worried about going out and doing normal things.
“I think that as Wiltshire police we are dedicated to ensuring that the community feels safe, and that will always involve regular patrols and visibility of local officers, especially in busy areas like Mazurek Way.
“I want to reassure the community that knife crime is something that is top of the priority list for officers, and threats involving knives will be taken seriously."
In November, Wiltshire Police installed permanent knife surrender bins across Swindon, as part of its crackdown on knife crime.
It came after police retrieved hundreds of blades, including machetes, samurai swords and combat blades, as part of its Operation Sceptre last summer.
DS Kuklinski continued: “We will never be able to ask Owen why he was carrying a knife that day, but I think my message will always be that carrying a knife puts you at more risk than it does protect you, and this case demonstrates that.
“Owens family’s response to what happened to him has been amazing, the way in which owns family conducted themselves at the trial is testament to everything they’ve tried to do since it took place.
“My message to young people is to talk to people, reach out to somebody, a parent a friend a youth worker, reach out to somebody and say I feel in fear and I feel like I have to carry a knife.”