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Heartbroken mother of murdered boy calls for end to 'senseless murdering' as killers are jailed

The mindless killing of teenagers in inner city Birmingham and the Black Country has to stop, the heartbroken mother of slain schoolboy Keon Lincoln has demanded.

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Keon Lincoln was just 15 when he was murdered

Five teenagers were jailed after being found guilty of killing the 15-year-old in Handsworth in January.

Keon’s mother Charmaine said: "I’m in a nightmare that I cannot wake up from. My heart is broken beyond repair. A piece of my soul has been taken from me. I would not wish this suffering on anyone and I can only hope that a day will come when the senseless murdering of children will come to an end."

Gunman Yussuf Mustapha, aged 14, from Birmingham, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 16 years for murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. A 16-year-old from Walsall, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 17 years for murder and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

Tahjgeem Breaken-Ridge, 18, from Balsall Heath, and Michael Ugochukwu, 18, from Edgbaston were each sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 19 years before they will be eligible to apply for parole.

Kieron Donaldson, aged 18 from Perry Barr, was sentenced to 12 years for manslaughter and must serve two-thirds of that after supplying the weapons to the killers.

Gunman Mustapha Yussuf, aged 14
Michael Ugochuckwu and Tahjgeem Breaken-Ridge were found guilty of murder
Michael Donaldson was sentenced to 12 years for supplying weapons

The trial heard harrowing details of the senseless killing, the police have yet to find a motive for the killings, only that Keon lived in an area where a notorious gang, Armed Response, operated from. The killers were linked to rival gang Get Money and were looking for a victim when they spotted Keon.

He was shot and stabbed in a brutal attack which started and finished in less than a minute.

The child killers crashed their stolen car nearby and left it for police to find, complete with weapons and DNA samples.

Detective Inspector Jim Colclough is leading the investigation. He said: "The murder of Keon Lincoln not only devastated his family, but brought shock and sadness to the whole community. Not least because an attack so brutal could be carried out in broad daylight on a schoolboy, by others just as young, if not younger.

"The wave of disbelief was followed by anger and grief, but ultimately unity as everyone pulled together to support Keon’s family, vowing that this should not happen to another family. The utter sadness here is that not only has Keon’s family been left without him, but these young killers now face life in prison, away from their own families, and for what?

"We have not been able to establish why Keon was murdered. Only his killers know that, but they will now have a long time to reflect on their actions."

On January 21 Keon was talking to a friend at the front of his house in Linwood Road, Handsworth, when a white Ford S Max pulled up and several youths jumped out. Keon jumped over his garden wall and ran up the road, but they gave chase and he was stabbed from behind.

A shot rang out, missing Keon, but he stumbled and fell. Another shot hit him in the stomach and the pack surrounded him attacked with machetes and large hunting knives where he lay.

Keon managed to get up and ran back on himself, but he was chased again and slashed after falling to the floor a second time as the group ran back to the S Max. Keon managed to get up and get to the pavement where he collapsed for the last time.

Local residents rushed to his aid, including a nurse, as emergency services arrived. Keon’s mother and sisters were among those at his side as he fought for life. He was taken to hospital, but sadly could not be saved.

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