Three teenagers have been sentenced for the fatal stabbing of 26-year-old Vernard Murray, a young father, in what a judge described as a premeditated revenge attack. Lee Williams, 19, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years and 74 days for murder. Riley McDermott, 18, received eight years in a young offenders institution, and John Harte, 19, was sentenced to six years for manslaughter.
The attack occurred on October 23 last year in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, shortly after a dramatic car crash. Williams and McDermott, wearing balaclavas and carrying knives, jumped out of a hired silver BMW that had chased a Ford Focus driven by Mr Murray. After a collision causing the Focus to flip, Williams stabbed Mr Murray in the upper chest while he was still inside the overturned car. Mr Murray fled but was pursued and stabbed a second time in the buttocks in an alleyway. He managed to climb a fence but collapsed on a patio, where he banged on windows for help. He died later in hospital.
Premeditated Revenge and Evidence
Prosecutor David Temkin KC told Manchester Crown Court that the attack was planned and motivated by revenge. CCTV footage showed Williams and McDermott making a fist bump and a stabbing gesture after the killing. Harte, who was in the front passenger seat of the BMW, was heard on a Ring doorbell call saying: "Yo, can you do that mission for me? Burn it. The car." The BMW was set alight less than two hours later. Williams and McDermott changed their clothes, and Williams admitted putting his in the washing machine. When arrested, Williams initially lied to officers, claiming he had been at home all day.
Impact on Family
In victim personal statements, Mr Murray's father Patrick Murray said: "He wasn't just my child, he was my pride, my hope for the future and a huge part of who I am. ... The silence he has left behind is unbearable." His mother, Nicola Costello, stated: "Those responsible are given numbers to serve sentences, while I am left with a cemetery plot to visit and a lifetime of grief." His partner, Tynne Connolly, added: "Our son will grow up with memories instead of a father."
Sentencing Remarks
Sentencing, Mr Justice Andrew Baker said: "This was a group attack, with planning and premeditation. You were all motivated by revenge." He noted that Mr Murray had a criminal record and was dealing drugs shortly before the attack, but stressed that "does not provide a beginning of any kind of excuse for what happened." Defence lawyers argued varying degrees of involvement: Williams' lawyer said he went beyond the plan to inflict harm; McDermott's lawyer cited genuine remorse; Harte's lawyer maintained he intended to scare, not hurt, and did not leave the car or carry a knife.
Police Statement
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Naismith of Greater Manchester Police said: "Today's sentencing reflects the devastating consequences of a shocking attack that claimed the life of Vernard Murray. ... Violence of this nature has no place in our communities."
