Appeals hearings are scheduled for nine of the ten youths convicted of the murder of Jack Woodley. After being surrounded and attacked by a group of teenage thugs in Houghton-le-Spring in October, 18-year-old Jack Woodley was stabbed in the back by a ‘Rambo’-style knife. The sad incident happened while Woodley was walking home after a fair or carnival. According to the Daily Mail, the youths allegedly murdered the adult “just for excitement and pleasure” in order to get away with their crime.
The ten youths, aged 14 to 18, were found guilty in June after a lengthy trial at Newcastle Crown Court. During the trial, witnesses said Jack was “isolated” from a group of people who were “like zombies attacking an animal.” Although one of the then only 15-year-old youths admitted to having carried out the fatal blow with a knife, the jury still convicted all 10 of the murders. Woodley was due to start a new job the Monday after his attack and he was on his way to pick up keys to a new apartment, but on October 16 he was punched, kicked, kicked and stabbed. Woodley was also out to pick up the keys to a new apartment.
According to prosecutors, the group “were looking for serious trouble that day” and tried to create “friction” with Woodley when they were at the festival. In addition, the group “looked for any excuse to attack anyone,” according to prosecutors. According to the BBC, Woodley declined their challenge to fight him, but they followed him along with around 30 to 40 other young people from the mess. A 16-year-old boy ran up to Woodley and hit him from behind as Woodley approached the Britannia Inn. This caused a riot, which was followed by a 15-year-old boy who fatally stabbed Woodley in the back. According to Judge Rodney Jameson QC, each of the youths, none of whom can be recognised, were responsible for Woodley’s murder but the extent of their involvement varied.
Although he claimed that not all of the youths “wanted to kill,” he indicated that any of the youths could have avoided taking part in the attack; Instead, “the mob mentality took over” and Jack was killed as a result. After saying that “he must have had great ambitions for the future and had a lot to look forward to,” he continued by saying that “none of those hopes will be fulfilled now.” He explained that some young people saw the festival as an “opportunity” to fight over “trivial rivalries” between neighboring settlements and that Woodley was targeted by the attacks because they mistook him for a “town dweller”.
The judge commented while announcing their sentences: “There is no punishment that can bring Jack back to his family and loved ones, nor can it alleviate the suffering they will feel now and for years to come. It may seem unfair that you and your friends have the opportunity to live free while you are young while Jack cannot do so as a direct result of your actions.” According to ChronicleLive, the trial was one of the first times the bis up to ten defendants were convicted of murder at the same time. This is said to have been a first. “They have come to the conclusion that it is more important to take care of yourself and the other defendants than to protect Jack and his family. They have made every effort to prevent them from getting justice. I have no doubt that you feel sadness about what happened due to a variety of factors; yet regret is not the same as remorse “followed by the judge.
The juvenile offender, who was only 15 at the time of the incident but was found in possession of a blade, faces a minimum of 17 years in prison for his involvement. The perpetrator of the incident, a 16-year-old boy, faces a minimum of 13 years and six months in prison. A 17-year-old youth who was part of the group who helped the youth retrieve his knife shortly before the attack will face at least 15 years in prison for his involvement in the incident. The court found that the defendant’s youth and low IQ meant he “is not as guilty as most of the others in the dock.” The youngest defendant, who was 14 at the time and is now 15, is scheduled to serve eight years based on the judge’s testimony. A 15-year-old, who was only 14 at the time of the attack, exchanged friendly “punches” and yelled “Get the chopper out” with the victim before the attack, is sentenced to at least 13 years in prison. An 18-year-old man, who was just 17 at the time of the incident, about whom the judge noted it was a “crying shame” that he was “dragged into trouble” after overcoming a low IQ and ADHD must have at least 11 years in prison for a job where he was highly regarded. Although the youth has not been called by any witnesses and has not accounted to the police or the court, he will serve at least 11 years in prison because the judge said he was seen for a few seconds in cellphone footage moving towards the fight with his Head covered by a hood or balaclava. The judge said this despite the fact that the youth was only 15 years old at the time of the incident. The judge explained that the youth, who is now 15 but was only 14 at the time of the offense, was a “combatant” with a history of violent behavior but a low IQ, meaning he was “easily was conducted”. The youth will serve at least ten years in prison. A young man, just 17 at the time, who was also a member of the knife procurement group, was sentenced to at least 15 years in prison because the judge did not think he was “particularly brilliant”. or “an obvious leader”. A 16-year-old man, who was only 15 at the time of the incident, told the court that he grabbed Woodley but did not realize it was the victim and that he was trying to stop the attack at least serve 11 years in prison. He told the court that he told the court that he held Woodley. The total time each defendant must serve as the minimum sentence is 124 years and six months.
Jack Woodley is survived by stepfather Chris McGill, biological father John Woodley, stepmother Zoey McGill and three younger brothers Jayden, Jenson and Tyler. The entire family, according to Zoey, will “be forever haunted by how horrific Jack’s injuries were.”