Teenager will serve minimum of 12 years for murder of Tomasz Oleszak
A teenager who murdered another boy in a park will serve a minimum of 12 years behind bars.
Leighton Amies, 15, who stabbed and killed 14-year-old Tomasz Oleszak, was found guilty of murder during a trial in April.
Amies, who was described as having an "unhealthy and malign" interest in knives, shouted “I’ve wetted your boy” after stabbing Tomasz in the chest.
During a hearing at Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday 15 June, Tomasz was described as a "bright, exceptional and gifted” boy with his whole life in front of him.
He died just days before his 15th birthday after being stabbed in Whitehills Nature Park, in Gateshead.
Tomasz, who was born in Poland in 2007, moved to the UK with his family in 2012.
The court heard he loved music and sports and played football and basketball among others.
He was described by his family as “the most beautiful boy”, with good manners and respect for others.
A statement said: “He had a kind loving nature. He hated violence and was not a fighter.”
The court heard Amies, who is now 15, had expressed “genuine remorse” for Tomasz’ death and still experienced sleeplessness and nightmares about what had happened.
The judge accepted Amies was not the instigator of the incident, but added Tomasz was blameless, and said the group who had followed Amies must live with the knowledge their “stupidity” led to his death.
“However, the principal responsibility lies with you in taking the knife with you,” the judge told Amies.
After Amies was found guilty in April, the judge lifted a ban on the media identifying the defendant due to the seriousness of the crime and as a deterrent to teenagers carrying knives.
It has now been revealed that Amies was excluded from his primary school for threatening to stab a teacher, and from secondary school for arson when he set fire to a plastic window.
He was also described as having an “unhealthy and malign” interest in knives, as demonstrated by images found by police after his arrest, the court heard.
He was given a life sentence, and will serve a minimum jail term of 12 years, when he will be eligible to apply for early release.
What happened to Tomasz Oleszak?
Tomasz was walking through Whitehills Nature Park, in Gateshead, England, when he was knifed by another teenager on 3 October 2022.
During the trial, jurors heard that the killer, then aged 14, was in the park with his girlfriend at around 8pm when a group of youths followed them.
He was carrying a serrated kitchen knife in his jacket pocket, which he had explained he picked up at home for “reassurance” and used it to slash Tomasz when he came under attack from a group.
Amies shouted to the gang “I’ve wetted your boy” after landing the fatal blow, which the court heard was “a boast” and meant he wanted the others to know he had stabbed one of their number.
The jury heard the defendant had told a friend he had stabbed someone and asked him if he knew a good place to hide the knife and bury it.
Amies had denied murder but was found guilty following a trial in April. He was also convicted of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm on a boy whose coat was slashed.
He had claimed he had been attacked by a group of youths in the dark, and had acted in self-defence when he pulled the knife from the pocket of his body warmer.
However, that claim was rejected by members of the jury.
Speaking following the sentencing hearing on Thursday, Detective Inspector Chris Deavin, of Northumbria Police, said: “This is a truly tragic case and our thoughts very much remain with Tomasz’s heartbroken family and loved ones, who are facing the worst sentence of all – a life without Tomasz.
“This case should send an unequivocal message to anyone who chooses to carry a weapon of any kind or believes that violence is acceptable that the consequences can be devastating.
“Look at the pain this tragedy has caused – not only could you take away someone else’s future and destroy the lives of their loved ones, but also ruin your own life and those of your family and friends.”
Det Insp Deavin has also given thanks to the many teenagers and community members who supported the investigation.
He said: “This has been an extremely sad case and I would like to thank the community for their support throughout the investigation.
“In particular, I really want to recognise and thank those who were there at time for assisting our officers.
“Many of those who were with Tomasz were teenagers themselves but they have shown immense courage and resilience and a determination to get their friend justice.
“This is a tragic incident, where a teenager has taken the life of another teenager but the actions of Tomasz’ brave friends give me faith in our young people – the majority of whom know right from wrong.”
Det Insp Deavin added: “As a force, we fully recognise the impact such incidents have and we're working every day to tackle knife crime and reduce the impact it has on our communities.
“This includes working with partners to carry out prevention activity, including educating children and young adults about the dangers of carrying weapons, and holding proactive operations, such as knife searches and targeting suspects.
“We need your help too. As ever, we'd ask families to speak to children about the dangers of carrying a knife and ask everyone to report any concerns or suspicions. If you believe a friend or someone you know is carrying a knife – let us know.
“Most importantly, we implore those who do carry a knife or believe it is a wise, admirable or a necessary thing to do, to think again and stop.”
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