Three man jailed for life after teenager murdered in Chapeltown knife attack

Three men who murdered a teenager in a knife attack in Leeds have been given life sentences totalling 81 years.

Emmanuel Nyabako, 19, was stabbed 17 times in an incident in Francis Street, Chapeltown, during the August bank holiday weekend last year.

Shortly after 2am on Saturday 26th August, police received calls reporting four men in balaclavas attacking a man with a large knife and other blades and sticks.

When officers arrived they found Emmanuel naked, apart from a snood around his neck, at the junction with Frankland Place where he had been dragged by his attackers.

He was rushed to hospital by ambulance but was pronounced dead a short time later and a murder investigation was launched.

Analysis of CCTV in the area showed Emmanuel and a 15-year-old youth riding an e-bike that was being chased by a Skoda Octavia and a Seat Leon in the moments leading up to the murder.

Enquiries showed the Skoda was being used by Jozeffi Jeffers and his phone was tracked to the car’s movements at the time. Similar evidence linked Philip Bryant to the Seat.

During the chase, two shots had been fired towards the cars from the e-bike. The cars continued the pursuit until Emmanuel - who had been seen holding a machete - and the youth abandoned the bike and fled on foot.

The youth managed to escape and hid in a garden, but Emmanuel was cornered by the group in the grounds of an apartment building where he was attacked.

A post-mortem examination show he died as a result of catastrophic bleeding caused by a knife wound to his heart.

Two blank-firing handguns that had been converted to fire adapted ammunition were recovered by officers during searches of the scene. One was found in the grounds of the apartment building and was believed to have been in Emmanuel’s possession during the chase. The other was found where the youth had been hiding in Spencer Place, and he was later convicted of firearms offences.

Bryant was arrested on September 1st and charged with murder and possession of a knife.

At the start of November, detectives issued a public appeal naming Emile Riggon and Louis Grant as wanted suspects . Enquiries had shown Riggon had travelled to Ireland by ferry on August 27th.

On November 14th, Jeffers was arrested in a firearms operation at an address in Belle Isle, Leeds, and was charged with murder.

Riggon was arrested on November 28th at Heathrow Airport after arriving on a flight from Istanbul and also later charged with the Emmanuel’s murder.

The three pleaded not guilty to murder but were convicted following a trial at Leeds Crown Court.

Louis Grant, aged 28, also known as Louis O’Brien, remains wanted over the murder and enquiries are ongoing to locate him.

Today, Jeffers, aged 28, of Hyde Park Road, Leeds, Bryant, aged 33, of Skinner Lane, Leeds, and Riggon, aged 23, of no fixed address, were each given life sentences with minimum terms of 27 years.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Damian Roebuck said: “Emmanuel’s family are still suffering the terrible pain and anguish caused by the utterly merciless actions of these men.

“Regardless of the circumstances that led up to the attack, there can be no excuse or justification for the appalling violence they used against him, which ended his young life.

“We carried out a detailed and comprehensive investigation, painstakingly building up a clear evidential picture that has resulted in these men being convicted of his murder. We hope it will provide at least some degree of comfort to Emmanuel’s family to know that they have now been brought to justice.

“Violence such as this has absolutely no place in our communities and those who involve themselves in it can expect to face the consequences. The men convicted of Emmanuel’s murder will now have a long time in prison to reflect on what they have done.”

Detectives are continuing to carry out enquiries to locate Louis Grant, also known as Louis O’Brien, who has links to Sheffield. Anyone with any information that could assist in tracing him is asked to contact the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team via 101 quoting reference 13230475319 or online at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/livechat

Information can be given anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.