Three convicted of killing after man fatally stabbed in Darlaston

Kamron Reid, Joseph Till and Ramani Sanderson (left to right) were convicted

Three men have been convicted over a fight outside a bar in which a young man was stabbed to death, police said.

Ramani Jetrow Santana Sanderson, 20, of London, attacked Shane Mayer, 21, with a machete in Darlaston in July 2019.

Police said there had been an innocuous exchange of words and glances which rapidly escalated.

Sanderson was found guilty of murder and Kamron Reid, 20, of Darlaston, and Joseph Paul Till, 21, of Willenhall, were convicted of manslaughter.

They will be sentenced on 16 July.

Lewis Green, 21, from Darlaston, was acquitted of murder on Wednesday at Birmingham Crown Court.

Reid and Till both joined in an attack, West Midlands Police said.

Mr Mayer was with friends at Gabbas Bar when glances and words were exchanged with a passer-by, Green's brother.

• Latest news from the West Midlands

Eight minutes after the altercation on 24 July, Green arrived at the Forge Road pub with a hammer.

Shane Mayer died in hospital after he had been stabbed

Lewis Green confronted the group, but left to make a call to Reid, who was with Sanderson and Till.

Sanderson made his way with Reid and Till towards the pub, lunged at Mr Mayer and during a fight stabbed him in the groin.

Mr Mayer had been stabbed outside Gabba's Bar in Darlaston

Mr Mayer died three days later in hospital.

Sanderson, from Walsham Road, previously pleaded guilty to having a blade or article which is sharply pointed in a public place.

In a separate case, he was convicted on Wednesday of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and previously admitted having a blade.

Reid, from Herberts Park Road, and Till, of Summer Street, were acquitted of murder, but convicted of manslaughter. They were also found not guilty of having blades.

Green, from Heathfield Lane West, was also acquitted of possession of a bladed article in a public place.

He previously admitted possession of an offensive weapon and was sentenced to three months' imprisonment.

"I know this awful crime has had a devastating impact on the Shane's family and that they are still struggling to come to terms with his death.

" I hope the fact his killers will now face many years behind bars offers some comfort," Det Sgt Andy McDonald said.