Murdered for daring to stand up to gang

Nov 24 2007 by Jule Wilson, The Journal

A CROWN court judge has condemned the growing knife culture among British youth after jailing three teenage murderers.

Dean Curtis, 19, Tony Hawkes, 17, and Jordan Towers, 16, were convicted by a jury last month of stabbing dad Kevin Johnson to death last May, before moments later wounding another man with the same knife.

The Recorder of Newcastle Judge David Hodson yesterday said the three had all been carrying knives on May 18, the night Kevin Johnson was killed, and described the carrying of bladed weapons as "the mark of the coward".

Heartbreaking victim impact statements of Kevin’s fiancee Adele Johnson, who changed her surname from Brett by deed poll this year, and his parents Katy and John Johnson, describing their unbearable grief, were handed to the judge at Newcastle Crown Court.

He said it was clear to him the defendants routinely carried knives, like so many other young men. He said: "It is a feeble excuse to say that it is in case of attack, but this case illustrates yet again, if any illustration is necessary, the sheer stupidity and inherent danger there is in young men carrying knives.

"There is nothing macho in carrying a knife. It is the mark of the coward, and those that do so risk inflicting serious injury, ending lives and causing untold devastation and misery to victims and their families, as well as the ruination of their own lives with long periods of custody."

After the case, Kevin Johnson’s family and friends spoke of their hatred for the killers, all from Sunderland. Curtis, of Forest Road, Ford Estate, was given life with a term of at least 17 years. The others were detained at Her Majesty’s pleasure, Hawkes, of Mortimer Street, for a minimum of 16 years, and Towers, of Fell Road, for at least 13 years.

Adele Johnson, the mother of Mr Johnson’s year-old son Chaise, said: "I cannot describe to you what I feel about them. It is just pure hatred. I hate them with a passion."

She hoped good could come out of the tragedy if young men stopped carrying knives. She said: "I hope those that carry knives get the message, but I don’t think they will."

In her victim impact statement she echoed the views of Judge Hodson, saying: "Kev was murdered because he dared stand up to yobs. What are we supposed to do? Hide in the house and hope they cause trouble outside someone else’s door, or stand up to them so we can enjoy peace and quiet in our own homes and risk your life?" Mr Johnson confronted the gang, who were causing a commotion in Partick Road, Pennywell, outside the home he shared with Adele and her children Chaise and seven-year-old Trey.

After the attack, in which Mr Johnson was fatally wounded in the heart, the gang ran off in a "heightened state" and began vandalising cars and shouting triumphantly about the stabbing.

Shortly after, they stabbed Jamie Thompson in the chest. All were convicted of wounding him with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Curtis told a friend he had asked one of the victims if he "wanted to meet Mr Stanley" – referring to his knife – before stabbing him.

Adele said: "Them three scumbags didn’t just take Kev’s life. They took a part of all of our lives as well."

Page 2: Witness statement from Kevin's partner Adele Johnson