The family of a teenager who was fatally stabbed have called for a friend who was present at his death and has lost his right to anonymity to help them understand what led to his death.
Adam Chowdhary, 18, went on trial last year, identified only as Boy B, alongside Joshua Molnar, after the fatal stabbing of their friend Yousef Makki, 17, in Hale Barns, Cheshire, on 2 March 2019. He was cleared of perverting the course of justice but convicted of possessing the knife that killed Makki.
Chowdhary had fought a high court battle to keep his identity secret until he finished his education. His anonymity had been due to automatically expire when he turned 18 in January this year, but he asked the high court to protect his identity until he finishes his education in November 2021.
At a high court hearing last month, a judge rejected Chowdhary’s application for anonymity but gave him permission to appeal against the decision.
His lawyers were given until 4pm on Tuesday to lodge an appeal, but when they failed to do so his right to remain anonymous lapsed. Chowdhary’s application had been opposed by a number of media outlets.
Makki’s family, who are campaigning for Molnar’s sentence to be increased, have asked for Chowdhary to engage with them so they can “learn what actually happened in the lead-up to Yousef’s death”.
In a statement a spokesman for the family said they remained distraught and their grief had been intensified by the “lack of justice and remorse shown by both boys involved”.
He added: “Yousef’s last moments remain a mystery and we find it impossible to start the grieving process and adjust to our new way of life.
“Whilst we are pleased that Adam has been named and can now be held accountable for his actions surrounding Yousef’s death, we remain hopeful that one day Adam will come forward and engage with us as a family, in order for us to learn what actually happened in the lead-up to Yousef’s death.”
Makki, 17, who had won a scholarship to the prestigious £12,000-a-year Manchester Grammar school, was stabbed in the heart by Molnar, now 18, during a fight.
Molnar was cleared of murder and manslaughter following a four-week trial at Manchester crown court in July last year, telling the jury he had acted in self-defence after Makki pulled a knife on him.
He admitted possession of a knife and perverting the course of justice by initially lying to police about what had happened, and was given 16 months in custody.
Chowdhary, then 17, was acquitted of perverting the course of justice. He was given a four-month detention order after admitting possession of a flick knife.
Both he and Molnar were acquitted of conspiracy to commit robbery in the lead-up to Makki’s’s death.
In the high court ruling removing Chowdhary’s right to anonymity, Mrs Justice Steyn said: “The most significant aggravating feature was that [Chowdhary] bought the knife with which Yousef was killed.”
She said possession of a knife “is a serious offence and there is a strong public interest in knowing the identity of those who commit serious offences”.
Justice Steyn said “the prospect of being named in court, with the accompanying disgrace, is a powerful deterrent” to others.
She added: “There is an important public interest in understanding the prevalence of knife crime. Such understanding depends, at least in part, on knowing who is committing such crimes.”
Molnar, who is due to be released from custody in March, was named days before he turned 18 in October.
