17-year-old found guilty of manslaughter after death of Hinckley teenager

The youth, who can’t be named for legal reasons, was out in Hinckley with three people on the evening of Sunday 6th October, 2019.

While they were in the area of Richmond Park the defendant was involved in an argument with one of them, 18-year-old Joshua Taylor.

A Bluetooth speaker was thrown on the floor by the defendant and an argument escalated into a fight.

The defendant left the area and shortly before 1am on Monday 7 October, armed with two kitchen knives, he confronted Joshua in Sword Drive.

Joshua was stabbed in the chest and died at the scene. A post-mortem examination revealed the victim died from a single stab wound.

The defendant is due to be sentenced on Friday 27 March for manslaughter and two counts of possession of a bladed weapon.

Detective Inspector Jonathan Blockley from East Midlands Special Operations unit murder investigation team was the senior investigating officer during the investigation. He said:  “What began as an insignificant fallout between a group of people on a night out in Hinckley ended with a young man losing his life.

“A single stab wound killed Joshua. Not only has a life been lost but another young person now faces a significant time behind bars for his actions in the heat of the moment.

“There are certainly no winners; two families have been left devastated and a community has been left in shock.

“There are absolutely no excuses for carrying a knife. If you choose to carry a weapon you are more likely to use it.  The force takes knife crime extremely seriously and are working tirelessly to warn youngsters on the dangers and consequences.  The #LivesnotKnives campaign was launched more than three years ago and continues to be a priority for the force.

“I hope this incident serves as a warning to others. If you know someone who carries a knife in public or has been involved in violent crime we would urge you to report your concerns to the police.  We work closely with a number of organisations including local authorities in order to educate people, early intervention can prevent serious injury or the loss of life. ”