Jack Woodley murder: Youth killer vulnerable, lawyers say

Jack Woodley was murdered by 10 youths in Houghton-le-Spring in October 2021

A boy who was part of a gang that murdered an 18-year-old man is "very vulnerable" and unable to understand consequences, a court has heard.

Ten youths now aged between 15 and 18 attacked Jack Woodley in Houghton-le-Spring near Sunderland in October.

He was repeatedly punched and kicked and suffered a single fatal stab wound, Newcastle Crown Court has heard.

Ahead of Judge Rodney Jameson QC's sentencing on Friday, lawyers for one boy said he had "traits" of autism.

A murder trial previously heard Mr Woodley had been to Houghton Feast funfair with friends on 16 October when a gang of youths targeted him for a "trivial reason".

Mr Woodley was followed by a large group of youths as he walked into the town centre.

Jack Woodley died in hospital a day after being attacked near the Britannia Inn in Houghton-le-Spring

As he neared the Britannia Inn, a 16-year-old boy ran up and punched him in the back of the head triggering an 80-second long melee, during which a 15-year-old boy stabbed him in the back with a 9in (25cm) knife.

The judge has previously heard mitigation on behalf of nine of the youths, none of whom can be identified, as well as from Mr Woodley's family who said they would be "forever haunted" by the teenager's murder.

Prosecutors said the starting point for the minimum term of the mandatory life sentence for each youth was 12 years' detention and the judge said he anticipated a variety of sentences based on each boy's involvement.

Although each boy's actions differed, prosecutors argued they were all jointly responsible for Mr Woodley's murder.

One of the 10 defendants admitted stabbing Jack Woodley with a 9in (25cm) knife

Peter Wilcock QC said his client, a 10th boy who was 14 at the time but is now 15, had been assessed by experts who concluded he was "hyperactive" and "impulsive" as a result of "traits" of several conditions including autism, ADHD and conduct disorder which made him "very vulnerable".

He said the boy had a "history of challenging and unusual, if not bizarre, behaviour" but he was of previous good character.

The murder trial has heard the boy was part of a group "hustling" Mr Woodley before the 80-second long attack and he punched the victim during the melee.

Mr Wilcock said the boy's actions were impulsive and affected by "inexperience" and "emotional immaturity" having been "caught up" in the fracas.

Although experts have not yet been able to formally diagnose the youth with any conditions, they said the traits he had shown would impact his ability to "exercise appropriate judgement" and "make rational choices", Mr Wilcock said.

He added there was no intention to kill Mr Woodley and the boy "would not have understood the consequences of his behaviours and actions at the time of the offence".

The judge is due to sentence all 10 teenagers on Friday.