Jordan Taylor death: Teen detained for carrying knife

Jordan Taylor died as a result of his injuries in the car park of Trowbridge Community Hospital

A teenager cleared of murdering a 25-year-old man with a hunting knife has been sentenced to 20 months detention for carrying an offensive weapon.

Hayden Maslen, 19, from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, had denied murdering Jordan Taylor and wounding Neil Vaughan, 24.

Maslen had previously admitted carrying a bladed weapon but said he used it in self-defence to stop being mugged.

He was acquitted of all charges against him, including murder and manslaughter, at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday.

The court heard Mr Taylor and Mr Vaughan intended to mug Maslen in the early hours of 12 March in Trowbridge, and used an aerosol can as a weapon.

Maslen said he threatened the two men with the knife as he feared for his own life.

"I genuinely didn't know what was going to happen. I honestly thought they were going to kill me," he told the jury.

'Widespread devastation'

Jordan Taylor died as a result of his injuries in the car park of Trowbridge Community Hospital.

Sentencing Maslen to be detained in a young offenders institution, Judge Peter Blair QC described the teenager's reasoning for carrying a knife as "idiotic, misguided and warped".

Judge Blair added: "We can't get away from the fact that if you had not had this evil weapon in a public place, Jordan Taylor would still be alive on this earth, living and breathing."

Following the trial Wiltshire Police said it would be "reinforcing its commitment" to tackle knife crime.

Det Insp Jim Taylor said there was "never an excuse to unlawfully carry a knife, or an offensive weapon of any kind, in public".

"This tragic case illustrates the real dangers of carrying weapons and the widespread devastation it can cause," he added.

"Anyone caught carrying a knife, regardless of whether they are carrying it in self-defence, is committing an offence and could be arrested and jailed.

"As this case demonstrates, taking the decision to carry a knife can ruin the lives of all involved."