Killer of Staffordshire teen Harleigh Hepworth is jailed for life after he was fatally stabbed in Wolverhampton park

The youngster, who was 16 at the time but is now aged 17 and who can't be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to a minimum term of 17 years and 42 days at Manchester Crown Court. He had also earlier been convicted of two counts of robbery and had admitted possessing a bladed article. For those offences he was sentenced to three years and eight months to run concurrently.

Accomplice Jovarn Esterine, who was 17 at the time but is now 18, was also sentenced after earlier being convicted of manslaughter and two counts of robbery and pleading guilty to possessing a bladed article which he said was held for self-defence.

For the manslaughter charge he was given six years and 43 days, for the robbery charges four years and for possessing a bladed weapon two years and six months, all to run concurrently.

Harleigh, aged 17 and from Rugeley, was a keen footballer and Wolves fan and had been visiting the city with a friend when he was robbed of his mobile phone and attacked in West Park on March 7 last year. He died of a single stab wound.

The earlier trial, at Wolverhampton Crown Court in November last year, lasted six weeks.

Sentencing the youngster for murder at Manchester Crown Court, The Honourable Justice Turner said: "You resorted to violence in a bid to stop the victim getting his phone back and I am satisfied the act was done for gain in the course of furtherance of a robbery."

He said his lack of previous convictions counted in his favour in keeping the sentence down but he was bound by guidelines on a minimum term for people under 18.

Sentencing Esterine, from Wolverhampton, he said he was guilty of taking a knife to the scene if not using it directly.

He said: "You held back Harleigh Hepworth's friend who was trying to help him and although you didn't make the fatal blow you were culpable in his death.

"The fact you didn't and you were guilty of the lesser act of manslaughter counted for you.

"But your lack of maturity cannot ignore the fact this was pre-planned and you played a full part in that." 

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