Police have backed a judge's decision to identify a 15-year-old murderer and have warned teenagers that they could face a similar punishment if they carry a knife.
Leighton Amies has been jailed after stabbing Tomasz Oleszak, 14, to death with a kitchen knife. The attack occurred while in a park near Tomasz's home on the Springwell Estate in Gateshead.
The teenager was treated by medical staff following the incident on October 3 last year but sadly passed away in hospital the following morning.
He also swung the blade at another boy, who was with Tomasz, damaging his coat and narrowly avoiding causing him significant injury.
In April, Amies, of Stuart Terrace, Felling, Gateshead, was convicted by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court of murdering Tomasz and attempting to cause GBH with intent to another boy. He had previously admitted possession of a bladed article.
On Thursday morning, he was sentenced to a minimum of 12 years behind bars.
During his trial, a ban was put in place on publishing anything that would lead to his identity - which is standard practice for defendants under the age of 18.
Following his conviction, Judge Mr Justice Spence lifted the teenager's anonymity and rejected attempts by his legal team to keep his identity a secret.
The judge told the court: "There is a public interest in trying to deflect young people from the carrying of knives where, when that happens, this kind of utterly tragic outcome can occur."
Northumbria Police support the judge's decision and have issued a stark warning to teenagers who may be considering carrying a knife.
Detective Inspector Chris Deavin was the Senior Investigating Officer in the case. He said: "If you are thinking about carrying a knife - stop. The consequences of using a knife just that once can be absolutely tragic.
"You could take a life, you could cause significant injury but importantly you could end up being in custody yourself for a significant period of time.
"The judge's decision to remove the anonymity, whilst absolutely their decision, we support that decision.
"It's a decision that the judge has made and one that obviously, as a police force, we respect. But also welcome in some ways because it does act as that deterrent for other people that there is no anonymity when you're committing offences of this nature.
"Tomasz's family would say his name was known by everybody and why shouldn't it be the case that that's the same for Leighton."
Tomasz lived with his mum Kamila, step-dad Patryk and younger brother Jakub. His death shocked the local community and a vigil and charity football matches were held in his memory.
His family and friends have been calling for an end to knife crime and campaigning for street lights to be introduced on the pathway where Tomasz was killed, which is known as the lines.
Det Insp Deavin said: "Given their ages, in our area, it is unusual. Everyone that we have is one too many.
"Certainly we don't see the same level of knife crime that other areas of the country are seeing - but that's not to say we don't recognise that we need to work hard to act in relation to that and try and deter people from it. Particularly young people from taking knives out."
Following Tomasz's death, two other teenagers in the North East lost their lives as a result of knife crime.
Gordon Gault, 14, from Benwell, Newcastle, died in hospital six days after he was allegedly stabbed in Elswick in November last year. Police have arrested a number of teenagers but no one has been charged.
On January 17 this year, Holly Newton, 15, from Haltwhistle, Northumberland, died in hospital after an alleged knife attack in Hexham. A teenage boy also suffered serious injuries in the incident.
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murdering Holly, attempting to murder a teenage boy and possessing a knife. He is currently remanded into youth detention accommodation.
Det Insp Deavin said: "All of those events are tragic events and all of them clearly have an impact on communities. But we're working hard to try and reduce levels of knife crime."
He said the force is attempting to do this through enforcement, stop searching, targeting offenders who carry knives and education.
But what can local communities do to help tackle knife crime?
Det Insp Deavin said: "Engage with each other, talk about the dangers of knife crime and recognise that it takes one action to cause a fatal injury."
He has urged people to try to understand the motivations of carrying knives in the community and have conversations, particularly with young people, about the dangers that are present.
The force has also urged parents to engage in conversations with their children about knife crime and emphasise where things could end up.
Det Insp Deavin added: "Taking a knife out - it only takes one stab wound, as was the case with Tomasz, it was fatal.
"So it's really about having those conversations for me, and understanding potentially where your children are and what activities they're involved in.
"I know teenagers don't always want to speak to you but it is worth the effort to try to."
Read more:
