A teenage boy and a man caught on CCTV using machetes to kill a 50-year-old father have been found guilty of murder and conspiracy to murder their victim’s son.
Footage played to a jury showed Kelvin Ward being attacked by 17-year-old Tyrone Hollywood and Leighton Williams, 28, after his son’s car was rammed in a busy road in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham.
Edited sections of the footage, released by West Midlands Police with the permission of the victim’s family, show Mr Ward trying to evade machete blows in Chester Road on April 18.
The force also released footage of Williams, of North Roundhay, Birmingham, being arrested by armed police after the killing.
Jurors at Coventry Crown Court convicted two other defendants – Rusharn Williams-Reid and Aaron Coates – of conspiracy to murder Mr Ward’s 19-year-old son, who managed to flee the scene.
Williams-Reid, of Orchard Meadow Walk, Birmingham, was cleared of unlawfully killing Mr Ward, while Coates, of Sydney Way, Birmingham, was acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter.
In a statement released after the verdicts, the partner of Mr Ward, whose son’s Vauxhall Corsa was initially rammed by a Ford Kuga at a KFC branch and then forced to a halt less than a mile away, called for greater penalties for offenders caught carrying knives and machetes.
The identity of Hollywood, of Findon Road, Birmingham, had been protected because of his age but the trial judge ordered he should be named after his conviction for murder.
All four defendants will be sentenced on January 26.
West Midlands Police said all four defendants were in the stolen Ford just before 8pm on the day of the killing.
Hollywood is believed to have used the car to crash into the vehicle carrying Mr Ward and his son, who drove away but was repeatedly rammed until its airbags were activated, forcing it to stop.
Mr Ward’s son fled as the gang from the Kuga shouted: “Get him now, keep chasing. Kill him, everyone kill him.”
He was chased by Hollywood, along with Williams and Williams-Reid, but managed to escape with the help of a man on an e-bike, police said.
Mr Ward then jumped into the empty Kuga and drove in the direction which his son had run off in, before colliding with a set of railings.
Hollywood and Williams were then caught on CCTV attacking Mr Ward, who suffered a fatal wound to the heart and was struck again as he lay dying in the road.
A police investigation found that Mr Ward’s son had been friends with some of the attackers, but they had fallen out.
Detective Superintendent Shaun Edwards said: “This is an absolutely horrific attack on a man who was simply going about his day, ordering a takeaway with his son.
“You can see from the video evidence the ruthless determination that the attackers had as they chase down Mr Ward and his son, and ultimately kill Mr Ward.
“Our investigation was absolutely painstaking, and was able to place the defendants at the scene.”
In a statement, Mr Ward’s partner, Tammy, said: “Kelvin was the love of my life. He was a fantastic partner, father, son, brother and good friend to many.
“He always put himself out for other people and if anyone needed a job doing or shoulder to cry on, he’d be there.
“He was very unique and there was never a dull moment when he was around. He was funny, the life and soul of a party, he worked hard to provide for his family, he had so much more to live for and loved life.
“We didn’t even get to say goodbye instead we got to watch videos of his last moments which was horrific.
“To see the man I love stabbed by savage people then left to die like ‘road kill’ dumped on a road is disgraceful and no-one should have to go through that.”
Tammy added: “Knife crime is a huge problem in the UK. We hear about it every day. The levels of violence are increasing and this is why we need longer sentences on those caught with knives or machetes.
“It’s our news today and could be yours tomorrow. We need to send a message to the young people that life is not a computer game, but it appears that this is exactly what the younger generation are treating life as. It appears that they believe they have the authority to decide on someone’s fate?”
