A 15-year-old boy has been found guilty of killing a teenager who was “hunted down” by a group of five and stabbed.
Birmingham crown court heard how Dea-John Reid, 14, was chased by the group in May 2021 who behaved “like a pack chasing down their prey”, before the 15-year-old delivered the fatal stab wound.
Jurors deliberated over three days before acquitting four other defendants of murdering Dea-John, who died from a single stab wound to the chest. The 15-year-old was acquitted of murder but convicted of his manslaughter.
The defendants cleared were George Khan, 39, Michael Shields, 36, and two teenagers aged 15 and 16 who cannot be named because of their ages.
Tim Clark QC, representing the 15-year-old found guilty of stabbing Dea-John, said: “He accepts he caused the death of Dea-John but did not intend to kill him. He was acting in self-defence.”
Police charged four members of the group under the law of joint enterprise, meaning that although they did not deliver the fatal blow, they could be liable for the killing if it was decided they would likely have foreseen their associate would commit it.
Representatives for the acquitted defendants said they did not intend to kill or cause serious injury to Dea-John, and some said they were not aware anyone was carrying a knife.
Prosecutor Richard Wormald QC told the court the killing was a “revenge attack” for events earlier in the day, in which Dea-John had been out with friends and one of the group was accused of trying to steal a bag from the 16-year-old defendant.
Driven by Khan, all five travelled to the Kingstanding area together later on to “hunt him down”.
“It was a group attack during which they each played their part, running after Dea-John and blocking off his escape routes,” Wormald said.
“This was a concerted plan. All five had been together in the car. It is inconceivable they would not have been aware that lethal weapons were being carried,” he told the court, as reported by BirminghamLive. “Threatening and violent words were used. This is not a case of self-defence or of some defendants not knowing what was happening. They were in it all together.”
The court was shown footage of the moment Dea-John was fatally stabbed, in which all five defendants could be seen chasing him, some brandishing weapons, before running away. “Having carried out the attack the group all then made off in haste – not one of them offered any support or comfort to Dea-John Reid. They simply left him to die,” Wormald said.
Dea-John died at the scene and a postmortem examination confirmed the cause of death as a stab wound to the heart.
Speaking after his death, Dea-John’s mother, Joan Morris, described her son as a talented young man. “I sent my son to go and play football and he didn’t come home. I miss my son so much, he was a lovely kid,” she said. “What am I supposed to do without him?”
Bishop Desmond Jaddoo, a community activist and spokesperson for Dea-John’s family, said they were “mortified” by the verdict.
“His family are of the opinion that there is no justice for Dea-John,” he said, adding the evidence “clearly shows intent” as the defendant chased the victim while covering his face and carrying a knife.
“This does ask the question is the criminal justice system fit for purpose? Where is the justice for Dea-John?” Jaddoo said. “Dea-John’s death will not be in vain and the inequality that exists within the criminal justice system needs to be addressed.”
Hundreds attended a vigil in the days after the attack, which inflamed community tensions after reports Dea-John had been subjected to racial abuse before he was killed.
A sixth defendant, Hollie Davies, 36, was also acquitted of assisting an offender.
The convicted teenager will be sentenced on 5 May.
