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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Stab death youths jailed for life | Stab death youths jailed for life |
| (40 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 in 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. |
| Later, Curtis 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. | |
| 'Totally cowardly' | 'Totally cowardly' |
| Mr Johnson and his fiancee Adele - who changed her name to Johnson after the murder - had been 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, Det Ch Insp 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." | "It's clearly unacceptable to carry knives and these three people got their just deserts today." |
| All I feel is pure hatred for what they did Fiancee Adele Johnson | |
| However, Mr Johnson's father John said life should mean life. | |
| He said: "They got 17, 16 and 13 years, which is a long time, but I want life to mean life. | |
| "Kevin is not coming back and they should not come back. | |
| "The judge said a lot of good things and they got more than we expected, but like I say, life to me should mean life and they should come out of prison in a box." | |
| Kevin and his fiancee got engaged in December and were parents to a one-year-old son, Chaise. | |
| Ms Johnson said of the killers: "I hate them with a vengeance. All I feel is pure hatred for what they did. | |
| "Kev only got to see his son's first seven months. He will never see his son's first tooth, his first haircut or his first day of school." |