Thu, 02 Aug 2018
Michael Burrows QC and Antonie Muller of No5 Barristers’ Chambers acted for the prosecution in a trial which saw a boxing fan who killed a rival supporter sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Tyrone Andrew, 22, of St Helen’s Street, Derby, stabbed 19-year-old Reagan Asbury during a fight at an event at Walsall Town Hall last October. Mr Asbury died in hospital the following night due to a single stab wound.
Andrew, who claimed he acted in self-defence, was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter after a five-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court.
Jurors deliberated for almost 37 hours before convicting Andrew of manslaughter by a majority 10-2 verdict. Andrew was acquitted of having an offensive weapon in a public place.
Violence erupted at Walsall Town Hall during the IBF Youth World Lightweight title fight, involving a local fighter and one from Derbyshire, as the near 600-strong crowd waited for the judges’ verdict on October 14 last year.
The disorder, which was caught on four CCTV cameras, spilled outside and it is there that the prosecution said Andrew stabbed Mr Asbury.
Mr Burrows told the court the footage showed Andrew "stealthily" jogging towards Mr Asbury from behind "like an animal stalking its prey".
Andrew, a convicted drug dealer, who also had convictions for wounding involving a knife, told the court he feared for his life and claimed he had been the victim of a racist attack.
Andrew fled the country the next day, flying to Holland before travelling to Barcelona, in Spain, from where he was extradited last December.
Two other men from Derby, Ryandeep Sidhu, 22, of Lidgate Close, and Declan Kemp-Francis, 24, of Dickens Close, were each jailed for 30 months for perverting the course of justice.
Mr Burrows told the court that Andrew approached Ryandeep Sidhu, who was parked in Lichfield Street, and handed him the blood-stained knife. Kemp Francis accepted he drove Andrew back to his flat in Derby.
A fourth defendant, Lavelle Patrice, was cleared of violent disorder.
To read more about this case visit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-45033623
Michael Burrows QC is a member of the Criminal Law Group at No5 Barristers’ Chambers. To view his profile visit https://www.no5.com/barristers/barrister-details/132-michael-burrows-qc/
Antonie Muller is also a member of the Crime Group at No5. Follow the link for his profile https://www.no5.com/barristers/barrister-details/446-antonie-muller/
