Teen guilty of manslaughter following knife fight

Police released a photo of the kitchen knife Daniel Ceidi took with him on the day he died

A teenager with a history of machete crime has been found guilty of unlawfully killing a 27-year-old man in a knife fight near a shopping centre.

Jurors found the 17-year-old boy not guilty of murdering Daniel Ceidi, in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, earlier this year, but guilty of manslaughter.

A trial at St Albans Crown Court had heard how Mr Ceidi died after an altercation near The Galleria shopping centre at lunchtime on Sunday 23 March.

Jurors returned verdicts on Friday and Judge Jonathan Mann told the youth - who was 16 at the time of the offence - that he was facing a "significant period" in custody.

The judge said he would pass sentence on 18 December and remanded the teenager in custody.

He previously made an order preventing the 17-year-old from being identified in media reports of the case.

Daniel Ceidi and the teenager fought with knives in the old bus station in Hatfield, the trial heard

Judge Mann told the teenager: "Be under no illusion that you have been convicted of a very serious criminal offence and you are likely to be facing a significant period in detention."

The teenager smiled as he left the court dock.

Jurors had heard that the teenager had a history with knives and he had convictions of possessing a machete and causing "serious" harm with a machete.

The teenager said he acted in self-defence and did not mean to cause serious harm.

Daniel Ceidi died after being stabbed near The Galleria shopping centre in Hatfield

Prosecuting barrister Neil Moore had told jurors that the teenager held a "grudge" against Mr Ceidi.

He said both Mr Ceidi, who was 5ft 9in (175cm) tall, and the teenager, who stood at about 6ft (183cm), lived in Hatfield.

Jurors were told the pair had two encounters on the day of the fight.

Mr Moore said CCTV footage showed how Mr Ceidi and the teenager first crossed paths near a newsagent's shop.

Police found an image on the youth's phone which they said showed him holding a knife with a serrated edge

Both were carrying knives when they later fought at an old bus station, Mr Moore said.

Mr Moore said Mr Ceidi had picked up a knife from his parents' kitchen.

"He [Mr Ceidi] was afraid of the defendant, who he feared was out to get him," Mr Moore told the jury.

"He picked up the knife because he was extremely fearful," he added.

Police found the knife Mr Ceidi had been armed with.

Mr Moore said the teenager disposed of the knife he had used and changed his shoes and went for treatment for a hand injury to a hospital "out of the area".

Jurors heard evidence from witnesses to the altercation in central Hatfield in March

Mr Moore said the teenager had a "propensity" for carrying "really large" knives and that police had found an image of a knife with a serrated edge on the youth's phone.

Lawyers representing the teenager disagreed that he had a propensity for carrying knives.

The teenager had opted not to give evidence at the trial.

He had also answered "no comment" when questioned by police after his arrest, jurors were told.

His solicitor had read a statement to police, saying he was, "at all times acting in self-defence".