The teenagers who murdered 15-year-old Kharyi Mclean have been handed life sentences.
One of the boys, aged 15, pleaded guilty to murder and the 17-year-old was found guilty at the end of a trial at Leeds Crown Court in March this year. Both had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article.
The 15-year-old was jailed for a minimum term of 16 years for the senseless and brutal attack on the schoolboy outside North Huddersfield Trust School on September 21 last year.
Once released, he will be on licence for the rest of his life. The 17-year-old was handed a minimum term of 18 years, Yorkshire Live reports.
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The teenagers "lay in wait" for Khayri as he walked home from school and attacked, with the 15-year-old shouting "Yo Khayri" before delivering the fatal blow to his chest. The 17-year-old was seen on CCTV "twisting in the air" before lunging at Khayri with a large knife and stabbing him in the leg.
Both teenagers ran from the scene and changed their clothes while 15-year-old Khayri collapsed and received medical attention. He was taken to hospital but tragically died.
Jonathan Sandiford, prosecuting, told the court neither teenager had previous convictions but the 15-year-old had admitted to being part of F-block - or the Fartown Boys gang. Mr Sandiford said: "As far as he is concerned he admits dealing in class B drugs from being about 13 years old and class A drugs from being 14-year-old. He admitted he regularly carried a knife and was involved in crime against opposition."
The 17-year-old admitted using cannabis. Mr Sandiford said: "The motive for targeting Khayri was that he had shared a video of [an] incident [where the 17-year-old's mother's window was broken]."
In a pre-sentence report, the court heard the 15-year-old spoke about messages sent by the 17-year-old asking people to go with him to attack Khayri. Khayri was also described as being "opposition." "The author [of the pre-sentence report] concludes violence against opposing gang members and carrying a knife was described as the norm for the 15-year-old. The purpose of having the authority of the rival gang of the RSK and sending a message for attacking them in the future," Mr Sandiford said.
The court heard the attack was "carefully planned." Mr Sandiford said the teenagers took a "long way around rather than walking straight up the road outside the school where the attack took place." He said the prosecution said they did this to minimise the risk of them being recorded by CCTV and to enable them to change into a change of clothing to change their appearance before attacking Khayri.
The court heard both teenagers took face coverings to hide their identities, and according to the pre-sentence report, another pupil at the school was used as a "spotter" to let them know of Khayri's placing at the school.
Despite being treated by a passing doctor at the scene and paramedics, Khayri tragically died after undergoing emergency surgery at Leeds General Infirmary.
It was said that during a conversation while in custody at HMP Wetherby, the 15-year-old said he had "no remorse" for the murder.
In a statement, read to the court, Khayri's mother said: "I am the mother of Khayri Mclean. He was a loving and caring person and loved playing rugby league and was really good at it. He was a son, brother and friend and had a girlfriend so it was lovely to see how happy he was. He always said he wanted to be an engineer."
She said on September 21 her life "changed forever" when "two cowards waited to attack Khayri."
Kharyi's mum said: "He had no chance. He had no opportunity to defend himself and the fear he went through when he was attacked and bled to death will never leave me...
"I ask myself what has this achieved? What has my son died for? I have lost my child and other parents have lost their two children who did this.
"This violence has to stop and carrying weapons has to stop."
Mitigating for the 15-year-old, Richard Wright KC said a pre-sentence report, psychiatric report and an email from a social worker has been handed into the court. An email from the social worker, the barrister said, says there is "reasonable grounds to suggest the 15-year-old is a victim of modern slavery."
The court has heard that in the last sentence of the pre-sentence report, the author says: "While he says it was his decision to do these illegal acts, it is my professional view his vulnerabilities, age, trauma have been exploited to be drawn into a life he felt he belonged, was protected and accepted."
It was said the 15-year-old had been shot when he was just 12-years-old outside a community centre.
Mohammed Nawaz, acting for the 17-year-old, said a pre-sentence report "describes him as being well-behaved, observing all rules in detention, reference to him being diagnosed in 2014 of ADHD and the resulting impact that had on his education but in detention has been described as a model student, mild mannered and respectful."
Mr Nawaz added: "Importantly, showing genuine and real remorse for this event...He expresses profound regret for the victim, his family and the victim's family due to his actions...During one interview he said 'no mother should have to bury their son.' He does regret his actions that day and the tragedy on Khayri Mclean and his family and he has so much difficulty seeing the values he has had instilled still caused him to be there on that day to commit the offence."
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