Jurors at the Old Bailey in
central London last month convicted the youth of manslaughter, but cleared him
of murder.
The teenager has been
jailed for life after stabbing another seventeen-year-old to death with a "Zombie
Killer" knife.
Stefan Appleton, from
Islington, died in hospital after the attack in a north London park in June last
year.
His killer, Blasie
Lewinson, who can be named after Judge Richard Hone QC lifted reporting
restrictions, attacked Stefan with the 25in (63cm) serrated blade in the leg
and chest.
Sentencing Lewinson, Judge
Hone told him he was a "dangerous offender" who had a
"fascination with illegal knives" and had shown "no true
remorse".
"The use of this
utterly ferocious weapon, even with the reduced intent, caused the loss of
Stefan Appleton's young life," he said.
"He plainly was
unarmed and you stabbed him on the ground while he was defending himself."
He said he regarded the
killing as "very close to murder" and told Lewinson he must serve a
minimum of nine years before he may be considered for release on licence.
The trial heard Stefan had
been in Nightingale Park with friends when Lewinson leapt off the back off a
stolen moped, pulled out the machete-like blade and ran after the teenager and
his friends.
Stefan was repeatedly
stabbed by Lewinson after he tripped and fell on the ground.
As he fled the scene he
allegedly shouted "RP", standing for Red Pitch, a rival to another
gang in the area.
The weapon was never found
but police seized three more Zombie Killer knives and an assortment of other
blades, including a machete, during their search of the area.
Lewinson tried to flee the
country to Spain, but was arrested within days.
He arranged for a friend to
burn the moped while he destroyed clothing, got rid of the knife and persuaded
a 15-year-old girl to hide a crash helmet.
While on remand Lewinson
got into fights with other inmates, threw liquid at prison staff and was caught
carrying makeshift weapons and a mobile phone.
VERY SAAAAAAAD .
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