Kennie murder trial is told of ‘revenge’ shouts
A WITNESS said he heard a group shouting ‘This is revenge’ during an incident before the alleged murder of Kennie Carter, a jury has heard.
The 16-year-old died after being stabbed in Stretford.
Ten teenagers are standing trial at Manchester Crown Court accused of murder.
Jabriel Ferguson, 19, of School Walk, Old Trafford, Latif Ferguson, 18, of the same address, and Rashaun Williams, 18, from Staffordshire, have all been charged with murder and manslaughter.
Seven other boys – all under 18 – have been charged with the same offences. They cannot be named for legal reasons.
Prosecutors have alleged that the group wanted to ‘seek some form of revenge’ following an incident the day before, on January 21, 2022. A boy said that he ‘had been jumped or attacked.’ It is alleged that some bikes were stolen from a block of flats in Stretford prior to Kennie being fatally stabbed.
On the fourth day of the trial, a statement was read on behalf of a man who lives in the flats in Stretford, in relation to the incident on January 22. “There was suddenly some lads banging on the communal door,” he said. “The next minute I heard lads coming in.”
He said males with their ‘faces covered’ entered and ‘took the bikes out.’ He said a person who owned one of the bikes was ‘ballistic’ when he learned it had been taken. The resident said that after, there was a group of about 15 people outside. “They were shouting ‘This is revenge,’” the witness said.
“I can’t describe the group really.
They were all wearing very dark clothing and it was dark outside.”
Jurors have heard that later that evening, Kennie was fatally stabbed on Thirlmere Avenue in Stretford.
Another statement read to jurors was made by a woman who was in her home in Stretford, earlier on the evening of January 22, when her ‘attention was drawn to some noise coming from out on the street.’
She said she saw a ‘group of males.’ She said: “They were just stood around, they were chatting to each other. They were being quite loud. They appeared to be hyped up. All of them had their hoods up. A lot of the group were wearing balaclavas. These didn’t cover the whole face and came down to the nose area.”
Another statement was made by a man who said he was walking home in Stretford when he ‘became aware of a group of males.’
“There were approximately seven people in the group,” he said, adding: “The group appeared panicked through the tone of their voices.”
All 10 defendants deny murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter. Proceeding.