Reagan Asbury killer jailed for 14 years over Walsall knife attack
Tyrone Andrew was cleared of murder but convicted of the manslaughter of Reagan Asbury
A man who stabbed teenager Reagan Asbury to death after a boxing match at Walsall Town Hall has been jailed for 14 years for manslaughter.
Tyrone Andrew, who claimed to have acted in self-defence, fled the country after knifing Reagan Asbury in the neck during disorder outside the venue last October.
Jurors at Birmingham Crown Court deliberated for almost 37 hours before convicting 22-year-old Andrew, from Derby, of manslaughter by a majority 10-2 verdict today.
He had been cleared of murder.
The jury also convicted Derby men Ryandeep Sidhu, 22, and Declan Kemp-Francis, 24, of perverting the course of justice following a five-week trial.
Both were each jailed for 30 months this afternoon.
A fourth defendant, Lavelle Patrice, 22, was cleared of violent disorder.
Andrew, of St Helen's Street, was acquitted of having an offensive weapon in a public place.
Prosecutors alleged that CCTV footage played to jurors during the trial showed Andrew jogging up behind Mr Asbury and stabbing him once after violence spilled out of the town hall.
The trial was told fans began to throw tables and chairs in the VIP area of the venue at the end of an IBF lightweight bout involving Derby-based Myron Mills and Walsall fighter Luke Paddock on October 14 last year.
Opening the Crown's case at the start of the trial, prosecutor Michael Burrows QC claimed Andrew had stabbed two other men and missed another intended victim before stabbing Mr Asbury.
More coverage from the trial
Mr Burrows said: "Tyrone Andrew jogged up behind him. He did so stealthily, like an animal stalking its prey.
"As Tyrone Andrew reached Reagan Asbury, you will see he raised his right hand and struck Reagan to his neck.
"Although very badly injured, Reagan Asbury made his way back to the town hall, where medical staff, in attendance for the boxing event, started treating him."
Mr Asbury, from Pelsall, Walsall, died in hospital the following night as a result of a single stab wound, which cut through his carotid artery and was 2.4in-2.8in (6cm-7cm) deep, the court heard.
After the stabbing, Andrew left the country in the early hours of the following day, flying to Holland and then travelling on to Barcelona in Spain, from where he was extradited in December last year.
Police pieced together what happened after they found a blood trail leading from the scene and CCTV showed Andrew handing over a knife to the driver of a BMW.
Key moments that led police to Andrew
The key moments that led to the capture and arrest of killer Tyrone Andrew were all caught on CCTV.
This image shows Andrew (number 3) inside Walsall Town Hall as trouble flared.
He is then shown in the street outside the venue, picking up a knife off the ground after being attacked.
The CCTV then shows Andrew attempting to stab one victim and attacking another with the blade, before running at Reagan Asbury (number 20) - who has his back turned - and stabbing him in the neck.
Police found a trail of blood leading from the scene
Andrew can then be seen handing the knife over to the driver of a BMW
He was later shown entering his home in Derby in just his boxer shorts and socks after getting rid of his blood-stained clothes.
The killer is then shown entering Birmingham Airport the following day to catch a flight to Amsterdam.
Detective Inspector Justin Spanner, said: "We had a really good picture of our suspect with particular clothing on.
"We also noticed there was a blood trail leading from the scene. By swabbing that blood and putting it through the national database we were able to identify that it was Tyrone Andrew."
'Self-defence'
Andrew told the court he had acted in self-defence after being being left in fear of his life by what his barrister described as 'horde' of white males during around two minutes of disorder.
Reagan's girlfriend Georgia Seedhouse paid an emotional tribute as friends gathered for a memorial event in the days after his death.
Dozens of his friends, including teammates and coaches from Pelsall United, turned out at The Old House at Home pub, in Pelsall, to remember him.
She said: "He always had a smile on his face, he was always joking. If anyone was in a mood he would be the one to bring them back up.
"I have known him since we were kids.
"If anyone was in a mood he would be the one to bring them back up."
She added: "At first when it happened it was very hard, but as the days have gone on it has gotten a bit easier, but it is not easy.
"It helps having such a lot of friends around."
Security measures were beefed up at Walsall Town Hall for a boxing event held at the venue in March 4 after the fatal stabbing.
An airport-style knife arch scanner was set up to monitor all those who entered the venue for The Class of 2018 show – a move organisers said brought extra safety.
