Teens, 13 and 19, guilty of skate park brick murder

A selfie of Jack Edwards sitting in a car with a seatbelt on and wearing a dark blue hoody.Image source, Nottinghamshire Police
Image caption,

Jack Edwards died two days after the attack, the murder trial heard

  • Published

A 13-year-old and 19-year-old have been found guilty of murdering a man at a skate park in Nottingham.

Jack Edwards, 24, who had just been released from prison, suffered "catastrophic" brain injuries when he was hit in the head by a brick on 5 December and died two days later.

Kai Howitt, 19, and the 13-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were convicted of murder on Thursday.

They will be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on 15 July.

Mr Edwards, from Kirkby-in-Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, was released from HMP Ranby on the morning of 5 December.

The trial heard he had visited the city's Christmas market with a friend before going to the skate park in Sussex Street.

Image caption,

The attack happened at the skate park under the tramlines in Sussex Street

It was there the court heard he made "offensive and crude" remarks to two passing girls, who then left the area and returned with a group of youths.

A confrontation developed in which a brick and other items were thrown at Mr Edwards.

During the trial, the jury were told Howitt, of West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, and the 13-year-old acted together in the attack.

CCTV showed Mr Edwards collapse after he was hit by a brick fragment.

He was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham but was pronounced dead two days later after not responding to treatment.

Traces of alcohol, cannabis and ecstasy were found in Mr Edwards, however a cause of death was given as "massive head injuries", the court heard.

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