Boy, 16, jailed for life for the murder of Harry Burkett in Clacton in Essex

A teenager has been jailed for life for the murder of a man after an argument during a night out.

The boy, 16, who cannot be named because of his age, stabbed Harry Burkett in the chest during the confrontation in September 2021.

He had denied murder, claiming self-defence, but was found guilty at a trial in March at Chelmsford Crown Court and was sentenced on Friday.

Mr Burkett, 21, was on a night out with friends in the Essex seaside town of Clacton on 11 September, when he was declined entry to a nightclub because he had forgotten his ID.

Mr Burkett and his friend started talking to a young woman and man from the town.

They were then joined by friends of the woman and man, said Essex Police.

It is thought that a disagreement then took place between Mr Burkett and a member of the group, which led to a chase.

Mr Burkett was confronted by the teenager in Orwell Road where he was stabbed with a knife.

He managed to escape but collapsed in Station Road at the junction with Rosemary Road where he was found by two passers-by. They gave him first aid until the emergency services arrived.

Mr Burkett soon became unresponsive and died shortly afterwards in hospital in the early hours of Sunday, 12 September.

A post-mortem examination found his cause of death was a single stab wound.

Det Insp Kev Hughes said: “The young man convicted of Harry’s murder was carrying a knife and claimed he was acting in self-defence.

"There is never, ever any justification to carry a knife. He knows that now.”