Teen 'pack' guilty of Prince murder

TWO teenagers who chased Prince Walker-Ayeni in a 'tight knit pack' before stabbing him to death have been found guilty of murder.

- THOMAS GEORGE AMY WALKER

Prince, 17, suffered three wounds - two to his leg and one to his chest - following the violent incident April this year, a trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

Two boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have now been found guilty. They were referred to as 'Boy 1' and 'Boy 2' throughout the trial.

Jurors heard two groups - one made up of the two defendants and the other made up of Prince and a friend met up on Raby Street, Moss Side. Within minutes there was a scuffle before Prince and his friend ran away.

Boy 1 stabbed Prince in the chest as Boy 2 followed. The pair then fled with a third boy who was previously acquitted of murder due to insufficient evidence.

Boy 1 and Boy 2, both 16, denied murder, claiming they acted in self-defence. But following a three-week trial, both were found guilty of murder by a jury yesterday.

Michael Hayton KC, prosecuting, said the two groups met on the road in a 'casual, coincident meeting' on April 4 at around 4pm. "There is no suggesting this was a pre-planned meeting," he added.

Prince and his friend were on bicycles, as were two of the group of three, the court heard.