‘I STRUCK FIRST BLOW’

Sentence appeal told that killer admitted to stabbing dad

A convicted killer who was jailed for his part in the group murder of an innocent dad 10 years ago has finally admitted he was the one to deliver the first knife blow.

Tony Stuart Hawkes, now 26, was one of a gang of three teenagers convicted of the savage murder of 22-yearold Kevin Johnson in May 2007.

Mr Johnson was stabbed after confronting Hawkes and two others about their rowdy drunken behaviour on the Pennywell estate.

At the time, the identity of the person who dealt the killer blow was not discovered.

But today, after a case review at the High Court, it was revealed that Hawkes has confessed that it was his knife that inflicted the first injury.

His admission came to light during a review, in which Mr Justice William Davis refused to cut Hawkes’ 16-year minimum term.

“In 2012, he admitted being the first man to stab Mr Johnson with a knife that he had been carrying with him,” said the judge.

“Of itself, this demonstrates a mature recognihad tion of what he did when he was 17.”

The court heard Hawkes and his accomplices, Jordan Towers and Dean Curtis, had been noisy, drunk and belligerent on the night of the killing.

Their behaviour disturbed Mr Johnson, who was then savagely attacked when he left his home to remonstrate.

He was dead before he reached hospital.

In the meantime, the trio walked on and attacked Jamie Thompson after asking him for a cigarette.

Hawkes plunged his knife into Mr Thompson’s chest, but did not cause serious injury.

He was convicted of murder and wounding with intent to cause GBH at Newcastle Crown Court in October 2007.

In the early years of his sentence, Hawkes was a “problematic prisoner”, regularly in trouble behind bars and had to be punished, said the judge.

However, he had since matured and does not represent a major risk to the public now, his solicitors claimed.

Refusing a cut in the minimum term, Mr Justice Davis said Hawkes’ admission of having struck the first blow showed he had matured.

But it was not enough to justify a cut to allow him to apply to the Parole Board for release on licence any sooner.

Hawkes can only be freed after serving his 16-year minimum if the Parole Board is convinced he is not a danger.

“He admitted being the first man to stab Mr Johnson” MR JUSTICE DAVIS

Above, killer Tony Hawkes. Right, John Johnson with a picture of his son Kevin, who was stabbed to death.

John Johnson with a picture of his son Kevin, who was stabbed to death.

Tony Hawkes was one of a gang of teens convicted of murder.