18 October 2023 , 20:38
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This is the moment a teenager wielding a laughing gas balloon knifes a man to death outside a city centre nightclub.
The young knifeman stabbed 18-year-old Ben Moncrieff to death following a night out in Bath in May this year. Ben had been trying to protect one of his pals who had gotten into an argument with the then-15-year-old killer, a court heard.
Ben and his friends were walking towards a McDonald's in the early hours of Saturday, May 6, when they ran into a group of strangers, including the defendant, who were carrying balloons and nitrous oxide. CCTV shows the teenage killer clash with Ben's friend before the victim stepped in and was ordered to "come around the corner".
CCTV captured the horrific moment (Avon and Somerset Police / SWNS)The chilling clip shows the teenager drop one of the gas canisters before pulling out a knife on Ben, fatally stabbing him once in the chest. The teenager, who is from South London, fled the scene dumping the knife in a bin, but was later arrested.
Now aged 16, the teenager who cannot be named due to his age has been found guilty of murder following a trial at Bath crown court. He had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article in a public place.
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One CCTV camera picked up the moment the defendant lift up his top before the stabbing to reveal he was armed, with the disturbing clip shown to members of the jury. Following Wednesday's verdict, Ben's mum Sharon Hendry paid tribute to her son as she spoke out on the "total devastation" left in the wake of his death.
Ms Hendry described Ben as someone who was "loved by everyone who knew him". The detective who led the case said the victim "had his whole life ahead of him" before it was "snatched away".
Ben's mum described him as a well-loved young man whose life was 'snatched away' (Avon and Somerset Police / SWNS)
Police said Ben was 'entirely blameless' (Avon and Somerset Police / SWNS)Senior investigating officer Mark Newbury said: "Our thoughts are with Ben's loved ones who we continue to support as they grieve for a much-loved son and friend." He added: "The outpouring of support Ben's family have received from his friends is a testament to how popular a young man he was.
"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.
"We believe the defendant sought to attempt to glorify knife crime by posing in social media videos in the days leading up to Ben's death and also showing off he was carrying one in the minutes before he killed Ben." Ben's killer has been remanded for sentencing on Wednesday December 6.