Family of schoolboy Yousef Makki stabbed to death by friend can 'finally move on with their lives'

• Yousef Makki's sister Jade Akoum gave a statement after a coroner in a second inquest concluded her brother had been unlawfully killed

The family of a schoolboy stabbed to death by a friend say a coroner's ruling of unlawful killing has finally 'given them justice'.

Yousef Makki died after being stabbed in the heart by his friend Joshua Molnar in Hale Barns, near Altrincham, on 2 March 2019.

In a trial, three months after the incident, ex-public schoolboy and friend, Joshua Molnar was acquitted of murder and manslaughter.

At an inquest in November 2021 a coroner concluded she could not be sure what happened but ruled out accident or unlawful killing.

But the High Court later quashed the findings and ordered a second inquest with a new coroner, which concluded Yousef had been unlawfully killed.

Molnar, who told the court he acted in self-defence, was jailed for 16 months for perverting the course of justice and possession of a knife.

Following his acquittal for murder and manslaughter Yousef's family campaigned to get public recognition for the teenager's death - which they have always claimed was unlawful.

Now the teen's sister, Jade Akoum, says she is "delighted" that conclusion was "the official public record of what happened to Yousef".

Speaking after the coroner's ruling, on Wednesday 25 October, she said: "I finally feel like now we can move on with our lives, we have proven that Yousef was unlawfully killed.

"I once thought justice meant Joshua Molar being in prison for the rest of his life, I now believe justice is what we have received here today, and for him to have to live his life forever, knowing that his actions took Yousef away from us, away from this world.

"We are pleased that the coroner recognised that Adam told lies, and that he saw what happened.

"We just have to hope one day, they'll be brave enough to tell us what happened."

Ms Akoum thanked the public, the family's legal team and the media for their help in reaching what she called "justice".

She added: "It has now been more than four and a half years since we lost Yousef in the most appalling of circumstances.

"We have said so much about him before, but it needs saying again.

"Yousef was everything to us and to our mum, he was the golden boy and yet he was humble with it.

"He was the most wonderful and intelligent sporty and inspirational boy, he had his life stolen from him by Joshua Molnar and nothing that happened today, can or will change that awful reality which is now ours forever.

"We are delighted that the coroner has recognised that Yousef was unlawfully killed and that this is now the official public record of what happened to Yousef.

"Losing Yousef was a trauma that we can not describe, but seeing his killer acquitted was worse than a nightmare.

"To have Yousef's name dragged through the mud by the lawyers at the criminal trial was horrific, there was only one person to blame for Yousef's death, an angry young man.

"Yousef was the very opposite of what he is, a peace maker, articulate, intelligent, a true friend and a wonderful brother.

"Perhaps his only flaw was being too kind to others and befriending those who were not fit to stand beside him."