JAILED: Life sentence for Walsall robber who knifed boy to death

Demille Innis was given life sentence with a minimum of 29 and a half years today after pleading guilty to the murder of Abdullah Muhammad and two robberies.

Innis, of Pugh Crescent, Walsall, pleaded guilty seven days into the five-week trial.

Yesterday Amari Tulloch and Delero Walters were found to be responsible for the robbery of two people and the manslaughter of Abdullah on February 20 this year.

CCTV led detectives to 20-year-old Innis and 18-year-old Walters who were seen boarding a bus to travel to Small Heath where they met Tulloch before the group spent hours wandering the streets identifying their victims.

WATCH: CCTV shows killers on night of murder

The group threatened and robbed two people of their phones and watches only a short distance from where Abdullah was fatally stabbed moments later.

Abdullah and a 15-year-old boy were walking through Sara Park when they were approached by the gang.

They started asking the pair questions in order to get their attention before launching into an unprovoked attack.

The 15-year-old was almost instantly knocked to the ground and injuries to Abdullah’s hand suggest he attempted to grab the blade from Innis.

But his attempts to defend himself were unsuccessful and he was stabbed in the chest.

The emergency services were called and members of the public came to his aid, but Abdullah was pronounced dead at the scene.

Within two minutes of meeting the pair and leaving Abdullah for dead, the trio fled the scene and made their way out of the park, heading for Tulloch’s brother’s flat.

Days after the incident 20-year-old Tulloch travelled to Bradford in an attempt to evade police, but he was arrested on March 10 in Lincolnshire after being involved in other offences.

A search of his property found a number of knives and one in particular – a hunting style Rambo knife – contained traces of Abdullah’s blood, as well as a Michael Kors watch belonging to one of the robbery victims.

By March 22, both Innis and Walters were arrested and the trio were charged with murder and two counts of robbery.

Walters, from Florence Road, Handsworth, was handed 21 years in prison and Tulloch, from Stratford Road, Sparkhill, was given 23.

'A loving, hardworking young man'

In a victim impact statement read out in court, Abdullah’s father said: “My son Abdullah was a loving, respectable and hardworking young man, who would always look out for and help his brothers and sisters, who clearly looked up to him in admiration.

“We were planning for Abdullah to learn to drive and assist in his further education in business studies and to help with the family which he was excited to do.

“That’s all gone now; everything has changed for our family here and abroad. His death has left a massive hole within our family and we miss him so very much.

“I know my son did not die a coward, when faced with danger he fought for his own life against men carrying a disgracefully frightening weapon.

“The worst day of my life was the day I had to wash, prepare and then bury my son. I saw what these men did to him. No parent should have to experience that.

“These men, through their chosen actions have taken the most precious gift we have… life and we will never forget the honourable man who is and always will be our beloved son, Abdullah Muhammad.”

Brave witnesses recognised

Superintendent Edward Foster, from Birmingham West Neighbourhood Policing Unit, said, “This was a horrific, unprovoked attack on two teenagers who were going out about their business, resulting in one of them tragically losing his life, all seemingly for a mobile phone.

“We want to recognise the bravery of the witnesses in the trial, their accounts were invaluable in helping us bring these men to justice.

“We worked tirelessly on this investigation and I am pleased to see all three of them behind bars and we want this to portray a strong message to everyone who thinks about carrying a knife.

“West Midlands Police continues to work to tackle knife crime; we are working towards making it much harder to purchase knives from the internet and continue to work with young people to recognise the consequences of knife crime.

“This was one of three murders of teenagers in a short period of time in Birmingham and this result concludes all three cases, resulting in a total of five men jailed."