Judge issues warning as young men face justice for knife crime in aftermath of teen's death

A judge sent a warning to young people carrying Rambo and zombie knives as he locked up two men in the aftermath of a teenager’s death.

Judge Nicholas Dean KC, the Honorary Recorder of Manchester, said deterrent sentences were required as Charlie Harrison and a 17-year-old boy were both jailed for violent disorder and possessing an offensive weapon. The case followed the death of 18-year-old Coby Tristram, who was fatally stabbed in the street during a confrontation in Whitefield, Bury in March.

A 16-year-old boy had gone on trial accused of murder and an alternative count of manslaughter, while Harrison, 21; Shams Benda, 18; and the 17-year-old boy, were all accused of manslaughter. But following legal submissions by their defence teams following the close of the prosecution case, a judge ruled that a jury could not safely convict them, and they were all acquitted of the charges they faced in connection with Mr Tristram's death.

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Manchester Crown Court heard that there had been a confrontation between Mr Tristram and the 16-year-old on March 28. Mr Tristam had been present with Harrison and the 17-year-old boy, while Benda was with the 16-year-old. Benda and the teen were said to have been ‘trespassing on rival drug dealers' turf’.

Prosecuting, Robert Smith said: “All of the defendants and the deceased Mr Tristram were actively involved in drug trafficking on that day. As part of the enterprise, each of them had armed themselves with a knife.

“Shortly before 5pm the group that included Coby Tristram, [the 17-year-old and Charlie Harrison went to look for [the 16-year-old] and Shams Benda. When on Sawley Avenue, Mr Tristram, Mr Harrison and and [the 17-year-old] saw the other two. They stopped and began to produce weapons.”

Mr Tristram was ‘the first’ to produce a weapon, described as a zombie or Rambo style weapon. Harrison and the 17-year-old were said to have been carrying ‘equally fearsome weapons’, while the 16-year-old and Benda were said to have ‘more conventional’ knives.

The 16-year-old stabbed Mr Tristram to his arm in what the judge said was a ‘defensive action’, in a blow which would prove fatal. In a written ruling handed down as he halted the murder trial last month, Judge Dean said: “When all of the evidence relevant to the direct encounter between [the 16-year-old] and Tristram is considered, it positively suggests that [the 16-year-old] acted only in lawful self-defence.”

Judge Dean has now sentenced the four men for the remaining offences which they faced. Harrison, of Mather Avenue, Whitefield, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possessing a bladed article. The 17-year-old pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possessing an offensive weapon. The 16-year-old and Benda, of Victoria Grove, Bolton pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon.

Sentencing, the judge said: “The fact that there was a death associated with this violent disorder is undoubtedly a feature of the case, making it all the more serious. The carrying of these weapons is now all too common. In my judgement it is clear that the carrying of these weapons needs to be met by a deterrent sentence.”

Harrison was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison. The 17-year-old was sentenced to a 22 month detention and training order. The 16-year-old was sentenced to a three year youth rehabilitation order, while Benda was handed a 24 month community order.

Defending the 16-year-old, Guy Gozem KC said that the teen had expressed ‘remorse and regret’. For Harrison, Iain Simkin KC said that the defendant denied he had been involved in drug dealing, and said he had been carrying a knife in order to protect himself.

Judith McCulloch, for the 17-year-old, said that the teen wishes he could ‘turn back time’, and that he ‘deeply regrets what happened that day’.