17 February 2024 , 21:32
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A baby-faced teen killer who was part of machete-wielding gang who slaughtered a schoolboy with an outsized machete was stabbed behind bars.
Leroy Robinson was locked up in a young offenders unit while he stood trial for the murder of Joseph Riches.
The stabbing incident was revealed as Robinson was sentenced for the 16-year-old's murder. Mr Justice Wall told Coventry Crown Court that 16-year-old Robinson was at 'risk of exploitation' and appeared at 'physical risk' in detention, Birmingham Live reports.
The convicted robber was stabbed while on remand during the trial, the judge told. Robinson and three others - Dray Simmonds, Joshua Edgington, and Corey Burkitt - were recently locked up for more than 72 years for killing Joseph in Stourbridge last year.
In court, details of their past were revealed. Robinson - who is said to have 'complex' social, emotional and mental health needs - had previous convictions for robbery and theft.
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Joseph Riches, 16, from Bartley Green, Birmingham, who was murdered in Stourbridge, West Midlands, on 15 July 2023 (BPM Media)Simmonds - who delivered the fatal blow - had never committed any crimes before killing Joseph. But he had a 'troubled upbringing' and a 'less than ideal' time in foster care, Mr Justice Wall said.
He now has 'enhanced status' as a prisoner, which means he is entitled to extra privileges while locked up. Edgington, who has a 'supportive family', was said to have 'suffered greatly' when his dad died at the age of 14.
The defendant, who has ADHD, had previous convictions for possession of a machete in another town centre, wounding, robbery and battery. Burkitt - who has mental health difficulties - was said to have shown 'academic promise' when he was younger.
But it 'all went wrong' when he moved in with his dad and stopped going to school, the judge said. He is 'prone to making bad decisions and succumbing to peer pressure', he added.
The crime scene on Coventry Street, Stourbridge, West Midlands (BPM Media)Simmonds and Edgington - who were both 19 at the time - were described as the 'prime movers' in the killing. Robinson and Burkitt - both 16 at the time - were said to have taken on a 'lesser role'.
All four defendants were convicted on a joint enterprise basis, with Mr Justice Wall telling how they all knew Simmonds had the machete 'for the benefit' of their group. They also all had 'some control over how' the weapon was used, he said.
Jurors heard how Joseph, from Bartley Green, had initially attacked the group with a screwdriver in Stourbridge town centre on July 15 last year. The attack was 'over in seconds' but the gang responded with a 'disproportionate reaction'.
They chased him, with Simmonds brandishing the machete he had hidden in his clothing. He then plunged the blade into Joseph's chest and heart.
The boy was filmed by Edgington on a mobile phone as he bled out on the roadside, with the footage later played at a party. Joseph was discovered dead in a car which had been abandoned about six miles away in Orchard Close, Rowley Regis.
He had clambered into the vehicle driven by his friends after being stabbed. The killers were sentenced for murder and possession of the machete on Thursday, February 15.
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Simmonds, 20, of Dixon Green Road, Dudley, was jailed for life, with a minimum term of 21 years. Edgington, 20, of Hallewell Road, Birmingham, was jailed for life, with a minimum term of 21 years. Robinson, 16, of Kew Drive, Dudley, was detained for life, with a minimum term of 15-and-a-half years. Burkitt, 17, of Queens Road, Smethwick, was detained for life, with a minimum term of 15 years