Ben Moncrieff: 16-year-old boy guilty of murdering Bath teenager

Ben Moncrieff died on 6 May after being stabbed outside McDonald's on Southgate Street in Bath

A 16-year-old boy has been found guilty of murdering an 18-year-old outside a McDonald's earlier this year.

Ben Moncrieff, from Bath, was stabbed by the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, on Southgate Street, on 6 May.

The boy had denied murder, claiming he had acted in self-defence after an altercation with Mr Moncrieff.

But jurors at Bristol Crown Court found him guilty of one count of murder and he will be sentenced on 6 December.

Mr Moncrieff's mum, Sharon Hendry, said her son's death had caused "total devastation".

"The trial has been hard but I eventually found the strength to sit in the same room as the person who did this," she said.

"I'm proud that I did go as I'm Ben's eyes and ears now."

"Ben has justice but it's not going to bring him back," she added.

"To the individual that did this, I hope that one day he'll realise the devastation he's caused and the lovely life that he took."

Mr Moncrieff died at about 03:30 BST on 6 May

Det Insp Mark Newbury, the senior investigating officer from Avon and Somerset Police, said: "Our thoughts are with Ben's loved ones who we continue to support as they grieve for a much-loved son and friend.

"At 18 years old, he had his whole life ahead of him, but it was snatched away."

'Entirely blameless'

During the trial, the defendant, from South London, who was 15 years old at the time of the fatal stabbing, told the court: "I didn't drive [the knife] into his chest… he came towards me and it just connected."

The court heard the boy and his friends had been refused entry to McDonald's because they were using laughing gas.

Previously the court heard from the restaurant's security guard, Nicholas Lay, who said he saw a fight begin and heard a "thud" as their bodies hit each other.

Det Insp Newbury continued: "Tragically, Ben happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He didn't know the defendant and was entirely blameless.

"He was bravely standing up for a friend when the defendant made a conscious decision to pull out a knife and attack Ben knowing it would gravely injure him at the very least.

Ms Hendry said the boy had "no regard for Ben's life".

"Please don't ever go out with a knife, that's my message."

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