Teenage killer to be sentenced for country park murder

Leighton Amies boasted after stabbing Tomasz Oleszak last October.

Leighton Amies was found guilty at Newcastle Crown Court (Alamy/PA)

A 15-year-old boy who boasted about stabbing another teenager to death will be sentenced for the murder on Thursday.

Leighton Amies shouted, “I’ve wetted your boy” at a gang after he knifed Tomasz Oleszak, 14, deep in the chest following a minor dispute at a nature park in Gateshead last October.

After Amies was found guilty at Newcastle Crown Court in April, Mr Justice Spencer lifted a ban on the media identifying the defendant, who was just 14 when he stabbed Tomasz, due to the seriousness of the crime and to deter teenagers from carrying knives.

The defendant had denied murder, claiming he did not know he had stabbed Tomasz and slashed another youth’s coat after he was attacked by the group.

During the trial, jurors heard Amies was walking through Whitehills Nature Park with his girlfriend at about 8pm when a group of youths followed them.

He was carrying a serrated kitchen knife in his jacket pocket, which he had explained he picked up at home for “reassurance”, and used it to slash Tomasz when he came under attack from a group.

Amies shouted to the gang, “I’ve wetted your boy” after landing the fatal blow, the court heard.

Mark McKone KC, prosecuting, told jurors: “He wanted them to know he had stabbed one of their number.

“It was a boast.”

Peter Makepeace KC, defending, told jurors that Amies had not looked for trouble, adding: “This is a 14-year-old under group attack and having to make terrible decisions under a moment’s notice.”

The jury also convicted Amies of a charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm on the boy whose coat was slashed.

The defendant had previously admitted carrying a blade.