AN AUDENSHAW teenager has been jailed for a minimum of 22 years after being part of a gang who stabbed a 17-year-old in broad daylight and left him dying.
Yousef Sesay, who lives on Denton Road, was robbed by a friend of Kyle Hackland of about £1,000 during a drug deal.
A day later, on November 22, he along with Lewis Ludford, Tafari Kosey-Smith and Alife Benson carried out a ‘pre-meditated revenge attack.’
All four denied murder at court but three were found guilty after a six-week trial, with Benson found guilty of manslaughter.
A court heard the quartet drove around the Withington area of Manchester in a stolen Volkswagen Golf looking to seek revenge when they came across a Mercedes vehicle which they wrongly believed was connected to Kyle’s friend.
The group attacked the vehicle with weapons by smashing the windscreen before continuing their hunt when within minutes they came across Kyle and his friend walking along Southlea Road.
His friend subsequently ran from the scene, leaving Kyle alone with the entire incident being captured on CCTV.
One of those carrying out the chilling attack could be heard shouting loudly ‘chef him’ on four occasions, immediately before Kyle was brutally attacked with knives.
The violent assault on Kyle continued by three of the four before returning to the waiting car which was driven away at speed by the other member of the group, leaving Kyle to collapse on a driveway where members of the public tried to save his life before emergency services responded to the scene.
Sesay, 18, was sentenced to 22 years in prison after being found guilty of murder in a trial at Manchester Crown Court, while Ludford, of Gorton, was given 21 years, with two years concurrent for a bladed article.
Kosey-Smith, of Stockport, was locked up for 19 years, again with two years concurrent for a bladed article.
Benson, also of Stockport, was jailed for 12 years with two years concurrent for burglary offences after being found guilty of manslaughter at Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court on Tuesday, October 3.
Senior Investigating Officer at Greater Manchester Police, Detective Chief Inspector David Moores, said; “This is another heart-breaking example of how carrying a knife can have devastating consequences in a matter of seconds.
“Our thoughts as a force are once again with Kyle’s loved ones who will have to continue to live with the pain, but hopefully this can be eased in some way with the conviction of his killers.
“Officers in our Major Incident Team have worked tirelessly to bring justice, and, in our role, we are reminding any young person willing to carry a knife to put it down and think twice before doing so. It is not worth it and can ultimately cost yours and other people’s lives.”
Paying tribute to him around the time of the incident, Kyle’s family added; “We are devastated by the death of our beloved Kyle. He was such a kind and well-mannered young boy who always looked out for his family – never failing to say ‘love you’ as he walked out the door.
“There are no words that can even begin to describe the pain we feel. We have always been such a close family, and this has shattered us all.
“He will forever be missed as a beautiful son as well as a caring and helpful big brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend. Life will never be the same without him, we are completely broken.”