A boy who fatally stabbed another teen in Somerset was sentenced to life in prison after his mother called the police.
In July of last year, a confrontation between two parties broke out in a parking lot in Radstock, when Joshua Delbono, 19, fatally shot Charley Bates.
During the course of two weeks, a Bristol court heard that when Delbono came home to Frome, his mother dialed 999.
Having deliberated for seven hours, a jury today found Delbono guilty of murder.
He has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years.
Delbono had admitted to knifing Charley but denied murdering him – he did so to defend a friend, Delono alleged.
Bristol Crown Court heard how the killing erupted after two groups of teenagers scuffled in a car park at around 6:30pm on July 31.
The victim was with a group of six friends at the time when two cars – one driven by Delbono – pulled into the car park.
Charley had long had bad blood towards one member of the defendant’s group over an alleged £20 debt, the jury heard. But he did not know Delbono.
But within the space of five minutes, the two groups traded insults while Delbono was inside the vehicle before he stepped out holding a five-inch knife.
Delbono plunged the weapon into the youngster several times. He alleged three youths sprung at him and he was defending himself.
‘Don’t mess with us again,’ he told the victim as he lay bleeding on the concrete, a witness claimed.
Charley was found by paramedics critically injured but was pronounced dead at the scene. A pathologist report said he suffered a stab wound to the chest and a wound on his arm consistent with trying to defend himself.
Delbono drove for half an hour to Shearwater Lake near Warminster in Wiltshire to throw the knife away and burn some of his clothing before heading home.
Six hours after the stabbing at 12:45am, Delbono’s mother phoned 999 and told them: ‘My son’s killed someone.
‘He’s in my house now. I can’t let him go anywhere,’ she said, adding that she felt ‘sick’ by what he had done.
Delbono was well aware his mum made the call, the court heard. ‘Yes, I’ve told him I’ve got to do it,’ she told the call handler.
The teen said on the same call that he did stab Charley but wasn’t sure where the knife landed as he had ‘launched it into the air’.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Almond from the Major Crime Investigation Team at Avon and Somerset Police said: ‘For much of this trial, Joshua Delbono has been arguing that he did stab Charley but it was in a means to defending his friend.
‘One of the lessons for young people is around the dangers of carrying knives.
‘Nationally we see that it is a problem and I think every youth who carries a knife, that creates a problem.
‘But Josh Delbono stepped into a fight that wasn’t involving any kind of weapons.
‘He bought a knife into the mix and someone lost their life and now he will spend a number of years in jail.’
In a heartbreaking tribute to Charley, his family said: ‘Our beautiful Charley boy. We are all so very proud of you.
‘You are desperately missed by so many.’