Nine teenagers convicted of the murder of Jack Woodley in Sunderland will have their appeal looked at by a High Court judge.
Last updated 6th Jul 2023
Ten boys were sentenced last August to the murder of Jack Woodley in Houghton-le-Spring. The 19-year-old was attacked by a group on October 16th 2021, the night of a local festival, Houghton Feast. Jack was kicked, punched and soon stabbed with a “Rambo-style” knife which caused him to die later in hospital.
An investigation was launched and saw the arrest of 10 boys, then aged between 14 and 17 years old.
Although just one of the group was found to have used the knife, the court ruled they all played a part in causing Jack’s death and therefore all ten were given life sentences for murder.
The combined total of the sentencing was more than 120 years. The boy who attacked Jack with the knife was handed 17 years, and the other 9 boys were also given life sentences for murder- with minimum prison terms ranging between 8 and 15 years. They will all be on license for life, once they are released from prison.
These nine boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons launched an appeal over the Joint Enterprise decision, with the argument that they did not murder, nor plan or expect murder to be committed.
Joint Enterprise is a legal doctrine that can be use if it's believed a secondary participant should be prosecuted as if they were a main offender. This can be implemented the judge rules that the defendant intended to encourage or assist the main offender, or that they foresaw it happening.
The detective in charge of the investigation said that had the teens not worked together to attack Jack he might not have been stabbed.
With the appeal now granted, the cases will be heard by High Court judges with the date to be confirmed.