“In a flurry of press reports, the trials of 20 young people charged in connection with a savage murder came to an end with unequivocally strong views on the parts of the families of both the convicted and the victim. This article looks briefly at the doctrine of joint enterprise in English criminal law, used to convict some, but it seems – surprisingly – not all of the defendants charged.
Soyfen Belamouadden was just 15 years old when on March 25, 2010 he was murdered in a vicious knife assault by a number of youths in the booking office in Victoria Station, London. Thirteen defendants were originally charged, with murder, with seven others charged with other offences. After a series of trials, 13 were convicted of various offences ranging from manslaughter to lesser offences such as violent disorder and three of the defendants were convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation that they serve a minimum of 18 years.”
Full story
Criminal Law and Justice Weekly, 8th June 2013
Source: www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk
