A 'very dangerous' teen who murdered a 17-year-old outside a house party by stabbing him in the chest has been jailed for life. Jonathan Cox, 18, killed 'beloved' 17-year-old Kyle Wright following a 'minor feud' in May 2022.
A court heard that an altercation between two groups from neighbouring towns occurred outside a party in Camberley, Surrey. Cox then stabbed Wright, leaving him to bleed to death in the street.
Wright later died at the scene, despite paramedics administering first aid. A tribute from Wright's 'devastated' mother described how her 'sweet, gentle' son wouldn't 'hurt a fly'.
CCTV footage shown during the 14-day trial, held at Guildford Crown Court in December last year, saw Cox cycling away from the scene and returning home on the night of his 'brutal' attack. Further footage also showed him leaving and returning to his address several times that evening and the following day.
Prosecutors said Cox had disposed of his clothing, mobile phone, the bike on which he had cycled to and from the murder scene, and the knife he had used to stab his fellow teen. But despite extensive searches across a vast area, none of these items were ever found by police.
Analysis of Cox's phone showed it had been used in the vicinity of the scene, and messages he sent to friends on Instagram talked of him stashing 'everything in the forest', and speaking of his paranoia at being caught and sent to jail.
Cox was arrested the day after the murder, following police investigations. Other unearthed messages requested help to 'burn everything in the forest', and saw him admit, 'I didn't even mean to do this'.
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Sentencing Cox, who had denied murdering Wright, Judge Jonathan Black said the teen had an 'unhealthy preoccupation with knives and the damage they inflict'.
Having been found unanimously guilty of the murder, Judge Black gave the 'very dangerous' teen a life sentence with a minimum term of 20 years. He added Cox had told the jury a 'pack of lies' about what had happened, and awarded the two friends who had tried to save Wright's life High Sherriff awards for their bravery.
A statement read to the court written by Kyle Wright's mother, Valerie Wright, said: "It never crossed my mind that I would have to bury my son.
"I will never have the opportunity to hold him in my arms, tell him I love him, watch him graduate, see him walk up the aisle, and succeed in life. Jonathan Cox cruelly thought he had the right to take all of this away from Kyle.
"The thought that I will never see Kyle blossom into adulthood fills my heart with deep sadness. My wish is that no other family has to experience the unparalleled grief that we are currently suffering. Our family has really appreciated the support of Surrey Police at this difficult time.”
An earlier statement from Ms Wright described her son as a 'beloved, sweet, gentle son who wouldn't even hurt a fly'.
Senior investigating officer, detective inspector Simon Dunn, from the Surrey and Sussex major crime team, said in a statement: “First and foremost I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Kyle Wright. No one should ever have to endure the loss they have suffered.
“I would also like to pay tribute to the way they have handled themselves throughout the investigation and subsequent court process, and the bravery and dignity they have demonstrated. Cox’s motive for targeting Kyle appears to have come from a minor feud between separate groups of young people from neighbouring towns.
"Cox went to the scene armed with a knife that night with the intention of causing him serious harm. Unfortunately, this has resulted in the tragic and senseless death of a teenage boy with his whole life ahead of him."
On Wright's friends, who desperately tried to save him, DI Dunn added: "Their bravery, despite witnessing such a brutal attack, in rushing to Kyle’s aid without a moment’s thought must be commended.
"The memories of that night will have had a significant impact on them which will last for a very long time. Kyle’s death also caused considerable concern and distress within the local community as well as local schools and colleges.
"Our local neighbourhood teams work closely with our partner agencies to educate young people about the risks of carrying a knife and to prevent these crimes from happening. Young people, especially teenagers, need to feel safe and it needs to be reinforced at every level that carrying knives isn’t the answer to the issues they are facing.”
