Youths found guilty of murdering Peter Cairns in Telford

The two males, aged 15 and 16, were found guilty of murder and assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Stafford Crown Court on Thursday. A third male, aged 16, was acquitted of all charges.

The two youths will be sentenced later this year.

A fourth male, aged 16, who previously pleaded guilty to murder and occasioning actual bodily harm, will also be sentenced at a later date.

All four youths cannot be named for legal reasons.

The court heard how on the evening of Friday 11 June, 2021, the four youths had come from the Woodside area of Telford and were heading towards Brookside for a pre-arranged fight with another group of youths.

During the altercation, Mr Cairns and his friend were attacked by the youths, who were carrying bladed weapons.

Mr Cairns was fatally stabbed with a kitchen knife and sadly later died in hospital from his injuries. Mr Cairns’ friend, who was also injured during the altercation, was able to make a full recovery.

The four youths were arrested the same day and later charged with murder and assault.

Detective Inspector Lee Holehouse, from West Mercia Police, said: “This was a senseless attack on two innocent men who were caught up in a confrontation with the youths whilst attempting to fix their broken moped.

“Neither offered or sought any violence, this was an unprovoked attack committed by youths intent on causing violence that day.

“We would like to thank the public for their help in our investigations, and I would also like to praise the work of my officers and the prosecution team in securing these convictions.

“Hopefully this verdict and the sentence to come will help Peter’s family to move on with their lives.

“Work is always ongoing to prevent violent crime and bring those responsible for it to justice. We would urge anyone with any concerns about violent crime to please get in touch. We review all reports we receive and by working together we can keep our communities safe.”