SAVAGE GANG THAT KILLED A TEENAGER
UNMASKED: THE VICIOUS GROUP THAT HUNTED BOY, 17, TO HIS DEATH
THREE men and a youth who murdered a 17-year-old in cold blood before leaving his body in a shipping container are today starting minimum jail terms totalling 98 years.
Harry Baker was found bloodied, stripped and covered in stab wounds at Barry Intermodal Terminal on August 28, 2019.
He had been chased through the streets into a compound, where he was savagely killed.
After a lengthy trial, which ended earlier this month, four were convicted of murdering the Cardiff teen, while three were found guilty of manslaughter.
The quartet who were convicted of murder were yesterday handed minimum terms ranging from 20 years to 28 years for their part in the teenager’s killing.
Leon Clifford, 23, from Barry, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 27 years, prompting claps from Mr Baker’s family as the sentence was read out.
Leon Symons, 22, of Heol Muston, Ely, Cardiff, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 28 years.
Peter McCarthy, 38, of Bassett Street, Barry, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 23 years.
Brandon Liversidge, 17, of Bishopston Road, Caerau, Cardiff, was sentenced to detention with a minimum of 20 years.
It means the murderers will be middle-aged men before they can be considered for release.
At yesterday’s sentencing hearing the judge, Mr Justice Picken, also gave sentences to the three defendants convicted of manslaughter.
Ryan Palmer, 34, of Aberaeron Close, Barry, was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment
Lewis Evans, 62, of Merganser Court, Barry, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.
And Raymond Thompson, 48, of Hillary Rise, Barry, was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment.
All seven defendants had denied murder. But after six days of deliberations at the end of the 10-week trial, the jury found Clifford, Symons, McCarthy and Liversidge guilty of murder.
Palmer, Evans and Thompson were found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.
Prosecutor Paul Lewis
QC told the jury hearing the trial that the attack on Mr Baker, which centred on a dispute over drugs, was “ferocious”.
He said: “The pathologist found
Harry suffered nine wounds caused by sharp objects.
There were slash wounds and stab wounds.” Mr Baker and his friend, Louis Johnson, had been in Barry selling drugs. The jury was told the two had crossed a group of drug users in the area who felt “ripped off” and sought help from other drug dealers to confront them.
In his sentencing remarks, Mr Justice Picken said: “You have each been found responsible to different degrees for the death of Harry Baker, a 17-yearold who leaves behind a family whose upset and grief at his death is understandable as powerful.
“His mother and father have explained how they feel in moving victim personal statements. They have shown great courage and dignity. It is clear family members’ lives have changed forever. “Throughout the trial Harry Baker’s parents have attended. It must have been immensely distressing for them, made worse by having to attend two trials due to the first trial being discontinued due to Covid-19.
“Emma Baker frankly
acknowledges Harry got sucked into a drug-dealing lifestyle. That is why Harry was in Barry. He was a drug dealer along with his friend, Louis Johnson, to supply drugs to the apparent many drug users in Barry.
“This does not remotely justify what happened to him that night and as a drug dealer he was carrying a knife.
“He did not deserve to die and his death is as tragic and unnecessary as that of anyone who is murdered.”
Mr Justice Picken added: “There was an ambush at the top of Little Moors Hill at midnight on August 28, 2019. This involved Leon Symons, Leon Clifford, Brandon Liversidge and Raymond Thompson, who had alighted from Lewis Evans’ car and waited in a grass area for Harry Baker and Louis Johnson to appear.
“When they did so, you ran across that grass area, there was a stand-off where Leon Symons and one other brandished knives, as did Harry Baker and Louis Johnson.
“You, Brandon Liversidge, may have done so also but you were there. You, Raymond Thompson, did not have a knife but you were there and headed towards them, although you fell down the bank. The jury must have concluded you were namely the lesser part of the ambush. What then happened was a mile- long chase from there to Barry Docks, and more specifically the intermodal container.
“You, Brandon Liversidge, were at the front of the group, you were carrying a knife, not a metal bar. The others followed but Leon Clifford may have overtaken you.
“Leon Symons, Ryan Palmer and Peter McCarthy were some way behind and Raymond Thompson ran a short distance before strolling along Cardiff Road with Nathan Delafontaine and turned right to go home.”
Mr Justice Picken added: “What happened was at least in part captured on CCTV. There is no footage of Harry Baker, Louis Johnson, Leon Clifford or Brandon Liversidge entering the compound but all four did, including you, Brandon Liversidge. Harry’s body was found in the yard the next morning.
“Leon Clifford was seen on CCTV climbing out of the yard along with
Ryan Palmer, Peter McCarthy and Leon Symons, and you, Brandon Liversidge, were seen just outside the gates. I am clear, despite the denials, that the jury must have concluded that Brandon Liversidge had indeed been in the yard.
“The attack itself was not captured on CCTV behind a Biffa bin and containers. Forensic evidence concludes he was stabbed in that area.
“He suffered stab wounds to various parts of his body, as well as his head and abdomen, which proved fatal.
“Death would not have been immediate. If he had received medical attention, it’s likely he would have survived.
“Only one of you accepted stabbing Harry Baker, that was Leon Clifford. It’s accepted you, Peter McCarthy, and Ryan Palmer did not have a knife and were armed with pieces of broken pallet.
“Lewis Evans, your case at trial was that you were merely doing what you were accustomed to doing. You maintained you had no idea there was to be an ambush. The jury rejected your evidence but apparently accepted you did not intend either that Harry Baker should die or suffer really serious injury.”
Following the hearing, Kelly Huggins, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Harry was deliberately targeted and ruthlessly hunted down by these people who carried out a merciless attack. Unfortunately, another young person has lost their life needlessly as a result of knife crime.
“The CPS presented strong evidence over several weeks showing the shocking level of violence, along with the comments and movements of the defendants immediately after Harry’s death. Our thanks are with Harry’s family for their co-operation during the court process and have our sympathies regarding their loss.”
DCI Andy Miles, senior investigating officer with South Wales Police, said: “This was a lengthy and complex trial involving a number of defendants, and I’m grateful to the jury for the diligence and commitment they showed throughout and for returning verdicts which provide justice for Harry and his devastated family.
“No sentence will ever be long enough for them; Harry was robbed of his future and an opportunity to turn his life around, and his family and friends have been robbed of a muchloved son, brother and friend.
“They have shown tremendous strength and dignity throughout the investigation and subsequent court proceedings and our sympathies remain very much with them as they now try to begin rebuilding their lives.
“The defendants showed a complete disregard for human life on the night of the attack, and that lack of respect and remorse has continued throughout this trial.
“I hope that the substantial sentences handed down to them today affords each of them the time to reflect on the irreversible devastation their callous and violent actions have caused.”
Nathan Delafontaine, 34, and of no fixed address, will be sentenced at a later date after admitting violent disorder. He did not stand trial.