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| Stab death youths jailed for life | Stab death youths jailed for life |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Three teenagers convicted of stabbing a young father to death after he confronted them about their rowdy behaviour have been jailed for life. | Three teenagers convicted of stabbing a young father to death after he confronted them about their rowdy behaviour have been jailed for life. |
| Kevin Johnson, 22, of Partick Road, Pennywell, was murdered by the youths in the early hours of 19 May. | Kevin Johnson, 22, of Partick Road, Pennywell, was murdered by the youths in the early hours of 19 May. |
| Dean Curtis, 19, must serve a minimum of 17 years; Tony Hawkes, 17, was jailed for at least 16 years and Jordan Towers, 16, for a minimum of 13 years. | Dean Curtis, 19, must serve a minimum of 17 years; Tony Hawkes, 17, was jailed for at least 16 years and Jordan Towers, 16, for a minimum of 13 years. |
| Judge David Hodson said carrying knives was "the mark of a coward". | Judge David Hodson said carrying knives was "the mark of a coward". |
| Curtis, of Forest Road; Hawkes, of Mortimer Street and Towers, of Fell Road, all Sunderland, ran off after the murder and then started vandalising cars and shouting triumphantly, Newcastle Crown Court heard. | Curtis, of Forest Road; Hawkes, of Mortimer Street and Towers, of Fell Road, all Sunderland, ran off after the murder and then started vandalising cars and shouting triumphantly, Newcastle Crown Court heard. |
| Curtis bragged to friends about the stabbing | Curtis bragged to friends about the stabbing |
| Judge Hodson said: "There's nothing macho in carrying knives, it's the mark of a coward." | Judge Hodson said: "There's nothing macho in carrying knives, it's the mark of a coward." |
| Shortly after the murder, the gang targeted Jamie Thompson, who was walking from a friend's house to meet his girlfriend. He was stabbed in the chest, but survived the attack. | Shortly after the murder, the gang targeted Jamie Thompson, who was walking from a friend's house to meet his girlfriend. He was stabbed in the chest, but survived the attack. |
| 'Totally cowardly' | |
| Later, Curtis, of Forest Road, Ford Estate, Sunderland, bragged to a friend that he said to one of the victims "Do you want to meet Mr Stanley?" - a reference to the red-handled craft knife he was carrying. | Later, Curtis, of Forest Road, Ford Estate, Sunderland, bragged to a friend that he said to one of the victims "Do you want to meet Mr Stanley?" - a reference to the red-handled craft knife he was carrying. |
| Mr Johnson and his fiancée Adele Brett, had been out to a local pub that evening and were getting ready for bed when they heard shouting outside. | Mr Johnson and his fiancée Adele Brett, had been out to a local pub that evening and were getting ready for bed when they heard shouting outside. |
| When he went to investigate a confrontation took place and he was stabbed. | When he went to investigate a confrontation took place and he was stabbed. |
| Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Roger Ford of Northumbria Police said: "I think the sentence does send out a really, really powerful message to the people of the North East and the people of the whole country that carrying knives is unacceptable and totally cowardly. | |
| "It's clearly unacceptable to carry knives and these three people got their just deserts today." |