16-year-old boy sentenced to life in prison for killing teenager who ‘tried to protect his friend’

A 16-year-old boy has been given life in prison for killing another teenager while they were trying to stop a fight outside McDonald‘s.

Ben Moncrieff was out with friends in Bath city center before he was killed on the street in the early hours of May 6.

The person who attacked, who was 15 years old and cannot be named because of the law, stabbed Mr. Moncrieff in the chest after he tried to stop a fight.

Despite everyone’s best efforts, including paramedics, he died at the scene on Southgate Street at about 3:30 in the morning.

At the Bristol Crown Court, they learned that Mr. Moncrieff and his friends had left a club and were on their way to McDonald’s when they came across a group of guys carrying balloons and suspected containers of nitrous oxide gas.

The security camera video showed the defendant arguing with one of Mr Moncrieff’s friends while using ‘laughing gas. ’

The jurors were told that Mr. Moncrieff stepped in to protect his friend, and one witness heard the defendant tell the victim to “come around the corner. ”

The person from south London dropped a gas can and then stabbed and killed Ben when he approached.

He ran away from the place and threw the knife in a nearby trash can. The police found the knife. He was taken by the police and didn’t say anything when they asked him questions.

Detectives started looking into a murder and watched many hours of video to find clues.

A video camera caught the person pulling up his shirt and showing a knife hidden in his pants before the attack.

Security cameras show what happened before Ben Moncrieff, who was trying to stop a fight, died.

Mark Cotter KC, who is arguing for the prosecution, said to the court: “The Crown believes that the defendant got into a fight with a friend of Mr. Moncrieff and Mr. Moncrieff tried to calm things down. ”

He was found guilty of killing someone after a six-day trial. He had admitted to having a knife in a public place.

Judge Peter Blair said that because of how much Mr. Moncrieff’s death has hurt his loved ones and the people of Bath, no punishment would be enough.

He said that the accused went out with a knife, but Mr. Moncrieff did not have anything in his hands.

Sharon Hendry, the mother of the victim, also spoke to the court in a personal and emotional statement.

She said, “Ben brought his friends to our home, and we all laughed and had a great time. Our home became a happy and lively place because of him. ”

She said she saw him getting ready to go out with his girlfriend, and then she rushed to his side after getting a call that he had been stabbed.

Sharon said: “I didn’t get to hold Ben and tell him how much I love him. ” I arrived too late to help Ben feel better. A mother’s biggest fear.

Ben’s room looks the same as when he left. I visit Ben’s room every day to remember the good times we had.

Ms Hendry talked about how she saw Ben in the mortuary and how it continues to affect her both physically and mentally. She said, “I feel completely destroyed and now have to live without Ben forever. “