Boy aged 12 detained for helping to 'execute' man in revenge attack

A 12-year-old boy accused of taking part in the "execution" of a man who he claimed had indecently assaulted him was sentenced to a 12-month detention and training order for assault yesterday.

Phillip Barrowcliff, who was 11 when 44-year-old Jason Mantoyah was killed in Thetford, Norfolk, was cleared of murder, but convicted of assault by a jury at Norwich Crown Court last month.

The youngster was in tears as he and his 16-year-old brother, Gavin Clarke, found guilty of manslaughter by the jury, were sentenced by the trial judge, Mr Justice Curtis, sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Clarke was sentenced to five years' detention.

The judge commented to Barrowcliff: "It is beyond even my experience for somebody as young as you being involved in a case like this."

Neil Howard, 28, who stabbed Mr Mantoyah to death, was convicted of murder. He had been jailed for life at an earlier hearing. All three had denied murder. Mr Justice Curtis ruled after the brothers were convicted that it was in the public interest that they should be identified.

The boys, also fromThetford, had met Howard, of Norwich, in a pub, and Barrowcliff claimed Mr Mantoyah had indecently assaulted him.

Jurors heard that the trio went to Mr Mantoyah's home to seek revenge. He was attacked after going to investigate a disturbance outside his bedsit. Howard and the teenager hit him on the head and shoulders with pieces of wood. Barrowcliff twice hit Mr Mantoyah in the genitals with a piece of wood. Mr Mantoyah died after Howard stabbed him in the stomach with a kitchen knife.

Roy Amlot QC, for the prosecution, had told the jury that the boys had carried out "what amounted to an execution".

Mr Justice Curtis said Barrowcliff, who at times sucked his thumb during the proceedings, was "running loose that night and obviously had been doing so for some time".

He said that although the boy's age was a "major difficulty in my mind", a period of detention "was necessary for the protection of the public". He told Barrowcliff: "You did a terrible thing that night, you really did."

Sentencing Clarke, the judge said: "Either you were there for revenge or to exact retribution for the victim's supposed sexual indecency with your brother, Phillip.

"Whichever way it was, no society can put up with people, however young, taking the law into their own hands..."

Earlier, the judge heard that Clarke was from a "disturbed" background. He had no previous record for violence against the person and had shown genuine remorse for his crime.