A teenager has been found guilty of manslaughter after Dontae Davis was fatally stabbed in Lawrence Hill last year. Kairon Sawyers has been tried at Bristol Crown Court after Davis, 18, died of a stab wound in October 2021.
Dontae was found injured in Hayes Close, Lawrence Hill, at around 6.20pm on October 14 and Avon and Somerset Police charged 19-year-old Sawyers of Ewell Road, Whitchurch, with murder. However, a Bristol Crown Court jury found Sawyers not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter.
The court heard that the fatal stabbing occurred after a knife fight in an alley between youths from rival groups. Sawyers denied the murder charge and told the jury that he acted in self defence and that he was the victim of a stabbing.
Read more: Dontae Davis murder trial: Sawyers guilty of manslaughter
The jury deliberated for 14 hours and 33 minutes before reaching their verdict. They were first sent away to consider their decision at 3.30pm on April 21.
During the trial, Sawyers told the court that he did not start the fight, while he also said the large knife he was carrying was for self defence. The court also heard that Dontae had a knife in his jacket pocket that he had used in the fight. His friend, a 17-year-old youth, had an unused large knife which he discarded before he was arrested.
The prosecutor Andrew Langdon QC previously told the court that on October 14 last year Sawyers was involved in a knife fight with two other teenagers and he suffered three stab wounds. Sawyers stabbed 18-year-old Dontae Davis to the left side of his chest, cutting Dontae's aorta and the aortic arch close to his heart.
Sawyers cycled away from the scene and his knife was not found. Later he walked into a hospital, had his wounds treated and was arrested for Dontae's murder.
Mr Langdon said Sawyers was associated with a group known as the 24s and Dontae with the rival 16s and there was a history of conflict between the groups that prompted police involvement. The court heard by October 14 last year Sawyers and Dontae knew of each other as belonging to the rival groups.
The jury was told on the morning of October 14 last year a 17-year-old exchanged phone messages with Dontae where he spoke of 'buying a knife', having 'something to prove' and having his face covered when he met the 'opps' or opposition. Later that day Dontae and the 17-year-old bought a large knife from a shop in Kingswood.
In the afternoon they met a boy aged 15 and the three went to a recording studio before walking towards the city centre at 6pm. The route they took led them to Clarence Road, near where that road meets the Lawrence Hill roundabout - and it was there they encountered Sawyers on his bicycle, who stopped and approached them.
In his testimony, Sawyers said that on the day of the stabbing, he bumped into Dontae and stopped to speak to him to make sure he and Dontae were on good terms. He got off his bike and said "yo" to Dontae, he said. "What you sayin', you good? You need to stop keeping bad company."
Sawyers said by this he meant the 16s. He denied saying "Come 'round the corner" or "Come 'round the alleyway" and denied saying anything about a fight.
He said that after they spoke he walked away, but when he looked behind him he saw Dontae with a knife. He said he ran into an alley leading to Hayes Close, he was stabbed, and he dropped his phone.
Sawyers said in the seconds that followed he tumbled from the alley, dropped his knife and retrieved it, and swung twice at Dontae in self-defence. He was not aware of anyone else around them, he said.
After the incident he got on his bike and cycled away, he said, before returning to collect his mobile phone. He saw Dontae lying on the ground and wondered if he was badly hurt, but he didn't call an ambulance or police as Dontae had attacked him.
Following the guilty verdict, Judge Blair QC told the jury: "It’s a very difficult task to be on a jury and you have been very engaged throughout. You have heard some difficult and uncomfortable things and I want to give my thanks to you."
He also said that he would give them his permission to excuse themselves from jury service if they were called up within the next 10 years and added: “You have given sterling service and there will be no need for you to”
Following Dontae's death, his family paid tribute to their "ray of light". His family said: "Dontae was strong, loving, caring, charming and a thoughtful son, brother, nephew and a friend to all.
"A young man of justice who always loved to do right for others and loved football, music and online gaming with his siblings and friends.
“Dontae was a ray of light with a distinctive cheeky smile, that would shine through any room he entered. He was a family oriented person who was playful and loved spending time with his younger siblings.
"His heart was pure and his intentions were true and never half-hearted and we as a family are deeply saddened by this tragic loss.”
