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Youth who chased teen on night Ben Morutare killed spared jail

A youth who chased a teenager from a party at a Black Country social club on the night Ben Morutare was fatally stabbed has been spared jail.

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Instead of following the 16-year-old, Simieon Watson went the other way in pursuit of Ben's friend Wayne Hemley.

Ben tragically died from a single stab wound to the leg following the outbreak of violence at the Smethwick Home Guard and Old Comrades Club. Mr Hemley, 18, escaped with a split lip.

Watson, aged 21, of Acorn Grove, Ladywood, has now been given a suspended jail term after being found guilty of violent disorder following a trial.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how the violence flared as Ben and his friend left the club, in Oldbury Road, in the early hours of July 28, 2012, and split up.

Ben Morutare died aged 16 after being stabbed in Smethwick in July 2012

Mr Gulam Ahmed, defending, said: "It's fair to say that on the evening there were two distinct incidents.

Mr Ahmed said Watson has turned his life around in the past three-and-a-half years.

"He is not the same man who was present when he was 17 on that sad evening," he said,

"He has been using his time usefully and is working full-time at UPS."

Watson has been in his own flat since he was 18 and has also set up his own online clothing business, according to Mr Ahmed.

Judge John Wait said: "You arrived at the club that night in the company of Andy Ly - the young man who was to plead guilty to manslaughter.

"You left the club premises to go out to the car park in the early hours in the company of that same Andy Ly.

"Within two or three minutes you were seen with others chasing hard after Wayne Hemley, a friend of Ben Morutare who had been with him as trouble broke out in the car park."

Judge Wait handed Watson a 12-month sentence suspended for two years and ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He will also have a four-month curfew imposed on Saturday and Sunday nights between 7.30pm and 6am.

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