Cardiff pensioner Michael Harrington died four days after being found with a serious stab wound at his home in Grangetown, Cardiff, three months ago
A 16-year-old boy has been convicted of the manslaughter of a pensioner he had been told was a paedophile.
The young student, whose studies were put on hold while he faced trial at Cardiff Crown Court, was cleared of murdering Michael Harrington, 67, who was injured in an attack at his home in Newport Street, Grangetown, Cardiff, three months ago and died four days later.
But a jury found him guilty by a majority of 11 to one of the lesser charge of manslaughter.
During a two-week trial the court had heard how the boy, who cannot be named because of his age, had been told Mr Harrington had indecently assaulted a school girl although he had never been reported to the police or prosecuted.
'No excuse'
Roger Thomas QC, opening his case against the boy, said it was “accepted” he had believed what he’d been told but that had been “no excuse”.“Even if it were true or if he just believed it to be true that would provide no lawful justification for what occurred.
“None of us can take the law into our own hands – down that path lies anarchy,” he told the jurors.
The boy – who was waiting at the house after Mr Harrington himself called police, saying he had been stabbed – claimed he himself had not picked up the knife which had gone into the back of the pensioner’s neck and down into one of his lungs.
'I thought he might stab me'
“He (Mr Harrington) picked it up from block which was next to him and I tried to take it off him,” he said.
“We were pushing and I tried to grab his wrist.
“I thought he might stab me. I just wanted to push him away from me.
“He let go of the knife and it was in my hand.
“I can’t remember exactly what happened but I know after that it was just me holding the knife.
“I dropped it and went outside the front door.
“He was sitting on the stairs phoning the ambulance and then I heard the sirens coming.
The boy admitted telling police: “I done it because he’s a ****ing paedophile” but said he had not been confessing.
“I was the reason he was bleeding but I didn’t stab him deliberately,” he told the court.
'I wish he had died'
He also accepted he had said “I wish he’d died” but claimed it was just because he was angry and he did not think Mr Harrington’s injuries were life-threatening as he sat on the stairs.
“I would never have said those things if I had known he would die a few days later.
See - http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/teenager-found-guilty-killing-cardiff-10421114
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