Faces of teenage murderers guilty of killing 16-year-old Joseph Riches in Stourbridge

A jury at Coventry Crown Court found four defendants unanimously guilty of murder and possession of a knife after a month-long trial around events of Saturday July 15 last year when two groups of youngsters clashed, resulting in the death of Mr Riches, who was just 16.

Dray Simmonds of Dixons Green Road in Dudley, aged 19; Joshua Edgington, of Hallewell Road, Winson Green, also 19 and two 16-year-olds who cannot be named were all convicted today.

Joseph, from Bartley Green, was in Stourbridge with friends on Saturday July 15, but for reasons only known to themselves, police say they were intent on "causing trouble" with another group of teens who were in the town at the same time, including Simmonds and Edgington.

Joseph spotted the group and ran up to them at the bottom of the High Street.

He attacked two of them with a screwdriver before trying to get into a car with his friends as they pulled up alongside him. But he was unable to get in the car and ran off along Coventry Street as the opposing group gave chase.

One of the group had pulled a concealed machete from his clothing and three of them caught up with Joseph and pushed him into a hedge. They attacked him with the blade, inflicting what would prove the fatal blow to his chest as a fourth teen joined them.

Joseph managed to get to his feet and get in the car with his friends, who had driven up Coventry Street to meet him. But his injuries soon proved fatal and he was found in the car which had been abandoned almost six miles away in Orchard Close, Rowley Regis.

Earlier Coventry Crown Court heard members of the group who carried out the machete attack then went to a park in Halesowen where they later learned of Mr Riches' death, with a girl who gave evidence in the case saying Edgington was "visibly upset".

Edgington himself told the court events had "happened randomly" and said he was traumatised by them. He said he wanted no part of gang culture and knew of Mr Riches and the "sort of things" he and his friends got up to.

After the stabbing, the police investigation progressed swiftly and after the machete was found by a member of the public under a fire escape in Stourbridge High Street, they first arrested Simmonds in Dudley the following day.

That same evening the other three - including Edgington – presented themselves at a police station. All four were arrested on suspicion of murder.

The jury at Coventry Crown Court found Simmonds had inflicted the fatal blow, but the other three were complicit in the attack on Joseph and were found guilty by joint enterprise.

All four defendants will be brought back to court on Thursday to be sentenced.

After the conclusion of the trial Joseph's mother Sarah said she was still trying to come to terms with her son's death.

She said: “Joseph was an amazing young man who had the world at his fingertips. He was kind, funny, caring, loyal and compassionate.

“His murder has left a huge hole in the lives of his family and friends and he will be forever loved and missed by us all. I will never forgive and never forget.”

Detective Chief Inspector Laura Harrison, from West Midlands Police's homicide unit, said: “This is another young life lost to knife crime.

“Only those involved will know the reason for the attack, but no doubt it was not worth the price of a life, or the lengthy sentences that those convicted are facing.”