Harry Baker: Four guilty of teenager's drugs turf war murder

Three men and a teenager have been found guilty of murdering a 17-year-old boy at a shipping container yard in a row over a drugs gang's territory.

Harry Baker, from Cardiff, was stabbed nine times at Barry Docks in the Vale of Glamorgan in August 2019.

Leon Clifford, 23, Leon Symons, 23, Peter McCarthy, 37, all from Barry, and a 17-year-old boy were found guilty of murder.

The other three defendants were found guilty of manslaughter.

Raymond Thompson, 48, Ryan Palmer, 34 and Lewis Evans, 62, also all from Barry, were convicted of manslaughter by the jury.

The investigating officer called it a "brutal, calculated and senseless attack" after the men were found guilty.

• Harry Baker murder: Is Wales losing the drugs battle?

During the trial at Newport Crown Court, the jury was told how the gang had been determined "that Harry Baker should die, or at the very least suffer really serious harm" after straying into their drugs patch.

He was ambushed in a street, before being chased for a mile, by the gang armed with weapons.

Harry Baker's body was found at a compound in Barry Docks in August 2019

The jury heard how he had taken refuge in the compound when the gang caught up with him, and stabbed him repeatedly before leaving him to die in the yard.

Footage showed some of the defendants climbing the fence, which left "three of the five, all armed" in the compound, prosecutor Paul Lewis told the trial.

Jurors were then shown footage of four of the defendants leaving the yard on 28 August, while Mr Baker was "lying dying" inside.

Forensic pathologist Dr Deryk James, who conducted a post-mortem examination, told the court Harry lost nearly two litres of blood after he was stabbed.

He told the court Harry had stabs and slashes to the face, head, neck, stomach and legs and the knifings were forceful enough to penetrate his brain.

'Brutal and calculated'

Clifford had admitted manslaughter before the trial started.

Senior investigating officer, Det Ch Insp Andy Miles of South Wales Police described the killing as "a brutal, senseless and calculated attack, which tragically cost a young boy his life".

He added: "Despite being from a loving family and wanting for nothing, Harry became involved in a dangerous lifestyle - a lifestyle in which more value is placed upon drugs and money than on human life.

"Harry did not deserve the punishment meted out to him that night and his violent death has had a devastating impact on the family and friends he leaves behind."

"Our thoughts remain with them as they now wait to find out the sentences Harry's killers will receive, and begin to contemplate rebuilding their lives without him."  

All seven will be sentenced on 29 March.