Two teenage boys jailed for life with minimum terms for murdering teenager in Manchester

The pair, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will serve at least 13 years and 10 years for the murder of Nathaniel Shani in September

Nathaniel Shani
Author: Olivia DaviesPublished 19th Jun 2024
Last updated 19th Jun 2024

Two teenage boys have been jailed for life with a minimum of 13 years and 10 years respectively for the murder of 14-year-old Nathaniel Shani in Manchester last year.

On Friday 15 September 2023, the boys, then aged 14 and 13 years, met Nathaniel in an alleyway off Tavistock Square, Manchester, for a prearranged fight.

They were armed with a knife and a screwdriver. Nathaniel was unarmed.

During the fight, that lasted just seconds, Nathaniel was stabbed in the neck. He collapsed and died as a result of that injury moments later. The entire incident was captured on CCTV.

The pair were sentenced at Manchester Crown Court.

Speaking after the verdicts were given in April, Martin Hill, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS Complex Casework Unit, said:

“This is a tragic case whereby another young person has needlessly lost their life as a result of knife crime.

“It was the prosecution case that both boys were acting together. Though just one of the boys inflicted the fatal knife wound, the other had by his actions encouraged him to deliberately inflict serious harm.

“Today, after considering all the evidence presented to them, including CCTV of the fight, the jury have found them both guilty of his murder.

“The CPS is committed to working with the police to tackle knife crime.

“Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of Nathaniel Shani and all those who have been affected by his untimely death.”

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