Keon Lincoln: Gunman, 14, and three teenagers sentenced to at least 16 years for murdering schoolboy

A 14-year-old gunman who killed 15-year-old Keon Lincoln during a "short and brutal" attack in Birmingham has been sentenced to life with a minimum of term of 16 years.

His sentencing comes after the judge ruled the gunman can now be named as Yussuf Mustapha after lifting reporting restrictions.

Three other teenagers have also been sentenced to at least 17 years for Keon's murder.

Mustapha’s co-defendants Tahjgeem Breakenridge, 18, and Michael Ugochukwu, 18, were both sentenced to life for murder with a minimum term of 19 years.

A 16-year-old from Walsall, who is also convicted of Keon’s murder and cannot be named for legal reasons, was ordered to be detained at Her Majesty’s Pleasure and to serve at least 17 years.

Mustapha had told jurors during the trial he was not at the murder scene but admitted he had lied to police.

Keon was repeatedly stabbed by teenagers, suffering eight knife wounds including an injury to a major artery.

Keon was killed in January this year after being stabbed and shot to death outside his home in Handsworth, Birmingham. 

The trial heard it was a "short and brutal" attack and Keon died in hospital two hours later.

In just 30 seconds, the gang chased Keon down the road slashing him from behind and firing a gun before getting back in the car and driving away.

At various points during the attack, Keon fell to the floor more than once and he managed get up and try to run away. 

Keon suffered eight sharp force injuries and a fatal injury to his abdomen from one of two gunshots fired at about 3.35pm on January 21.

The court heard earlier this month it was when he was on the ground with one of the attackers standing over him that the fatal shot was fired. 

Mustapha, who was born in Italy and was said to be doing well at the same secondary school as Keon, was ordered to be named by a judge ahead of a sentencing hearing on Monday.

Lifting a previous court order, Lord Justice William Davis said the measure had represented a “substantial restriction” on the press’s ability to report on the case.

As well as ruling that it was in the public interest to name Mustapha, the judge said a 16-year-old youth convicted of murder should also be named.

But the judge refrained from lifting the order on the 16-year-old, pending the outcome of an appeal against his conviction.

Prior to sentence, Keon’s mother submitted a statement to the court in which she said she was "in a nightmare that I cannot wake up from."

In the statement, read to the court by prosecution barrister Michael Burrows QC, the victim’s mother, who witnessed her son lying injured in the street after hearing gunfire, said: "The gunshots will forever ring in my ears, knowing that one of them ultimately ended my son’s life.

"No reason for me can ever justify such an evil act."

Describing how she recalled comments made on the day of the murder and could see an image of her "beautiful boy’s body being lowered into the ground," she said "heartless, evil monsters" had left her with thoughts and emotions she would have to live with for the rest of her life.

Passing sentence, Lord Justice William Davis said the murder had been "carefully planned and executed" using a revolver and a car stolen for use in the killing.

"It’s quite clear that all who came from the car were party to the use of the gun," the judge said.