Teen locked up for six years for killing 15-year-old in Wolverhampton knife fight

Zane Smart was wounded in the chest after he and another youth went to a canalside site for a pre-arranged fight on May 27 last year, in the Pendeford area of the city.

Witnesses said both were armed with knives at the time and it is understood a fight had been pre-planned.

The youth – who was 16 at the time and is now 17 – was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter following a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court earlier this year.

Sentencing him on Monday, Ms Justice Juliet May said the decision to fight with knives had been a 'disastrous choice'.

She told him: "Keeping you in a secure place is the only sentence I can give."

Prosecuting barrister Mr Harpreet Sandhu KC read a victim personal statement from Zane's father, Kyle Smart, to the court beforehand, who said there were no words that could explain the depth of loss, grief and emptiness he now felt every single day.

He said Zane had been born premature, no bigger than his hand, but that he became the focus of his life 'making every day worth living'.

His father said he had a 'sparkle in his eyes' and a 'contagious laugh'. He added: "With the loss of Zane, a huge part of my life has been lost.

"A part of my soul has been extinguished forever."

The court was told he had developed anxiety, suffered with nightmares and now lacked motivation to do anything.

And he added that the loss had been 'heartbreaking' for hundreds of people.

A victim personal statement by Zane's great-uncle, Steven Smith, was also read to the court, which said Zane had been a young man with 'great potential'.

He called him 'loving, caring and intelligent' and said he was 'well-liked', adding: "It feels like a part of me has been taken away forever."

Mr Sandhu said there had been several aggravating factors including that the defendant, who cannot be named due to his age, went to the scene armed with a knife and threw the knife that delivered the fatal blow into the canal.

Mr Mark Gatley KC, defending the youth, said he had no previous convictions, was remorseful and showed a lack of maturity.

He said his family circumstances had led to him moving home and schools on multiple occasions.

The court was told he was a 'bright boy' who had been halfway through his GCSE exams when he was arrested and was currently studying A-level maths with the intention to pursue a career in electrical engineering.

Reading his own letter to the court, the youth apologised for the pain he had caused and said he accepted responsibility for his actions.

During the trial, the court heard there had been "some tension" between Zane and the boy before they took different routes from a car park near a chip shop to an area beside the Shropshire Union Canal.

The pair had been involved in a dispute four months before the fatal incident and met up once again after the defendant became "cross" the 15-year-old was riding a bike in the area, the court heard.

Both of the teenagers had come to the meeting armed, with the 15-year-old victim pulling out what was described as being a "samurai sword" during the altercation, a judge was told.

The defendant said he became "scared" upon seeing the weapon, with his glasses falling off – leaving him with blurred vision – and a knife falling from his pocket which he used.

When asked if he meant to deliver the fatal blow to Zane, the boy replied "no" but said he remembered it and recalled the knife connecting with the victim.

The 15-year-old collapsed a short distance away after sustaining a wound to the chest, which he subsequently died from.

Members of the public went to the victim’s aid after he was seen falling off his bicycle, but despite theirs and the efforts of emergency services he was pronounced dead at about 4.52pm.

Home Office pathologist Brett Lockyer told the jury that the medical cause of death was a stab wound to the chest.

He explained the injury to Zane’s right lung would have resulted in the schoolboy bleeding out, falling into shock, deep unconsciousness then cardiac arrest.

The teenage killer had also denied having an article with a blade or a point, but changed his plea to guilty during the trial.

He was given no separate penalty for that offence.

Following the conviction in February, Detective Inspector Hannah Whitehouse, from the homicide unit at West Midlands Police, added: "This is a tragic loss of a young life at the hands of a knife and an awful reminder of the impact of carrying weapons.

"Zane was just 15 years old, with his future in front of him, but he was robbed of this because of a knife. We know this conviction will never take away the pain for his family and friends but we can only hope it eases some over time.

"Another boy will now lose his freedom for a long time and have the guilt on his conscience for the rest of his life.

"The evidence suggests both were armed with knives so it could have been two boys who died that afternoon.

"This case tragically shows how carrying weapons can have life-changing consequences for those involved, and their loved ones, forever."