Teenager facing life for Josiah murder
A TEENAGER faces a life sentence after a boy was brutally murdered in the street during a tit-for-tat feud.
Dillon Saunders, 19, deliberately knocked over 17-year-old Josiah Norman in a Mini as he was being attacked with weapons in Salford.
Kellan Gummery, 18, of Bridson Street, Mickel Liburd, 18, of Barff Road and Kaylan Crankshaw, 28, of Dauntsey Avenue, all in Salford, have already admitted murder and also face life terms.
Having deliberated for just two hours either side of lunch at Manchester Crown Court, the jury reached a unanimous verdict of guilty for the charge of murder.
Prosecutors said Saunders of Stowell Street, Salford, played a ‘central’ role in the killing.
He was caught out by the Gucci baseball cap he was seen wearing while driving the Mini, which had false plates.
Saunders, who does not have a driving licence, was later observed by police wearing the same cap.
He denied being the driver and claimed to be with a friend at the time of the shocking killing.
The four men will be sentenced together in the next month, with a date yet to be confirmed.
Weeks before the murder, police were called to a shooting at the Gummery family home in Salford.
Josiah, a trainee electrician, was arrested in connection with the incident but was ‘eliminated’ from the police’s enquiries.
He was walking along Peveril Road with a friend at about 8pm on April 21, when he was spotted by his attackers, who were out for revenge.
In a matter of seconds, he was struck down, hit by a car and stabbed to death.
Liburd and Gummery were in a white Fiat 500, with Saunders and Crankshaw following in a blue Mini.
Both cars made an abrupt manoeuvre after spotting Josiah.
Armed with a machete, Liburd was joined by Gummery as they attacked Josiah.
He was able to get to his feet, but Saunders drove at Josiah and knocked him to the ground, with the appalling attack continuing.
Then Crankshaw, also armed, got out of the Mini and joined in.
Josiah’s friend ran back to his house and returned with a knife, in a desperate bid to protect his friend.
Crankshaw and Liburd were both injured during the fatal attack.
After jurors delivered their verdict, Judge Nicholas Dean QC told Saunders: “You can hardly be surprised by the jury’s verdict.
“You know the strength of the evidence that you faced.”
VICTIM WAS KNOCKED