Teengers, 15 and 18, convicted of fatally stabbing 15-year-old Isaac Brown in West Bromwich
Two teenagers have been convicted of fatally stabbing a 15-year-old in West Bromwich.
Isaac Brown was stabbed to death in New Square just after 9pm on Sunday 7 April 2024.
Isaac, along with two friends, arranged to meet up with Reehan Nezir, aged 18, and a 14-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons, to ‘sort out’ a dispute.
At approximately 6.30pm earlier that day, a 12-year-old boy had been robbed by a group in Smethwick which included the two defendants. The victim was assaulted and his jacket was stolen.
Isaac knew the victim of the robbery through a friend and circulated various messages on social media to find out the identity of the attackers.
The defendants communicated with Isaac and his friend on social media, which escalated tensions between the two groups.
Nezir posted: ‘Do you know who I am?’ and ‘I’ll teach you a lesson’.
The two groups then met in West Bromwich where Isaac and his friends were confronted by a group armed with weapons.
Isaac’s group ran away to New Square which is where they were confronted by Nezir and the 14-year-old boy.
CCTV footage shows disorder between the teenagers, where weapons were brandished. Isaac was fatally stabbed in the chest.
Nezir, of Edith Road, Smethwick and the 14-year-old boy fled, but were both arrested the following day.
They both admitted manslaughter, robbery and possession of an offensive weapon at Bolton Crown Court. They will be sentenced next year.
"Catastrophic consequences"
Paying tribute to Isaac, his family said: “Isaac is a wonderful, loving, kind, happy, son, brother, grandson, nephew and cousin. Fun and mischievous, always smiling and always there to help.
“We are unable to understand what has happened. We just want him back and this not to have happened.”
Detective Inspector Ade George from West Midlands Police's Homicide Unit said: “Another young life has been lost as a result of young men carrying knives.
“Two groups met up to seek retribution for a robbery that happened earlier in the day.
“This revenge attack ended up having catastrophic consequences.
“We are doing everything we can to tackle knife crime by not only arresting offenders who choose to carry weapons but also educating young people and preventing them to being drawn into that lifestyle.”
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…