HOW SHAMELESS
Grieving family of public schoolboy knifed in heart blast teen killer’s parents for their ‘PR offensive’
THE wealthy parents of a teenager who was controversially cleared of murdering a public schoolboy were branded ‘shameless’ yesterday by the victim’s family for launching a ‘PR offensive’.
Privately educated Joshua Molnar – known until now as Boy A – has been named for the first time.
Molnar argued in court that he acted in self-defence when he stabbed his friend Yousef Makki in the chest. He was cleared of the murder and manslaughter of Yousef, who wanted to be a heart surgeon, but he was jailed for other offences.
Molnar’s family have now hired a leading publicity firm and given an interview to The Sunday Times, describing him as ‘a normal, typical teenage lad’ and a ‘fabulously creative chef’.
They said their son was ‘incredibly remorseful’ about the ‘tragedy’ – but then praised his talents and character, and took the opportunity to contradict evidence presented in court.
The interview came ahead of his 18th birthday tomorrow, when he can officially be named – the newspaper won the agreement of both Molnar and the courts to identify him before his birthday.
He is the son of Mark Molnar, 56, a business consultant and former chairman of Cheshire Lawn Tennis Association, and Stephanie Molnar, 51, who co-founded a chain of private children’s nurseries.
Mr Molnar is honorary secretary of Cheshire LTA, while his wife has stood down from her business, the Elmscot Group, which built up a portfolio of 14 nurseries employing 225 staff to look after 1,700 children in the North West.
Joshua, who was sent to a several prestigious schools, grew up in the family’s £1million home in Hale, Cheshire – but more recently split his time between his parents’ homes after they separated.
The Molnars are being represented by Manchester PR agency MC2 Communications, which would normally cost thousands of pounds. Its past clients include Cadbury’s owner Mondelez.
Yesterday, they were accused of going on a ‘PR offensive’ by relatives of Yousef, 17, a scholarship pupil at the £13,000-a-year Manchester Grammar School who was being prepared for Oxbridge.
Yousef’s mother Debbie Makki, 54, said: ‘Who do the Molnars think they are having a publicist? They’re hardly Posh and Becks. They are shameless. They have shown no remorse to us during or since the trial. We’ve never heard anything from them. Surely, as human beings they should sympathise with us losing such a huge part of our lives. Instead, they seem tainting to their be more reputations.’ worried about Mrs Makki and daughter Jade Akoum, 28, said they would be ‘exploring all avenues to ensure justice for Yousef’. They added: ‘We have never seen a shred of true remorse.’ Mrs Akoum said: ‘They can have all the money in the world and use a PR company but they can’t change the fact their son killed Yousef and was troubled.’ She described Joshua as the ‘scum of the earth’.
The Makki family, from Burnage, Manchester, are considering a private claim in the civil courts.
Yousef suffered a 5.5-inch wound through the heart after being stabbed with an illegal flick knife during the confrontation on March 2 this year in Hale Barns, a Cheshire village popular with company directors and footballers.
The trial of Molnar and another 17-year-old youth, known as Boy B, heard that they and Yousef were friends but had fallen out over a botched attempt to rob a drug dealer. Molnar was allegedly furious after he was beaten up and his £2,000 carbon-fibre mountain bike – a gift from his father – was thrown over a hedge.
The knife used by Molnar was bought online by Boy B. During the trial at Manchester Crown Court in the summer, Molnar claimed the stabbing happened after Yousef pulled a knife on him. The prosecution said there was no evidence Yousef had a knife.
Molnar was also cleared of conspiracy to rob, but was given a 16-month detention order after admitting possessing an offensive weapon and perverting the course of justice by lying to police.
Boy B was cleared of conspiracy to rob and perverting the course of justice, but admitted possessing an offensive weapon and was locked up for four months.
The Molnars have told how their son had ‘ normal friendship groups’ from school and his home town, and was a talented rugby union player.
In a statement, Mrs Molnar said: ‘The events of that night were a tragedy. I cannot imagine what Yousef’s parents and family must be going through. [ He] fully accepts responsibility for Yousef’s death in the act of self-defence. He will have to live with the responsibility for the rest of his life.’
‘Who do they think they are?’ ‘They have shown no remorse’