Leighton Amies Convicted of Murder After Fatal Attack on Tomasz Oleszak

A 14-year-old boy who boasted “I’ve wetted your boy” after fatally stabbing a teenager has been convicted of murder. Leighton Amies knifed Tomasz Oleszak deep in the chest while the victim was walking through a nature park in Gateshead last October.

Amies denied the murder charge, claiming he did not realise he had stabbed Tomasz and had only slashed another youth’s coat after being attacked by a group. During the trial, he could not be named due to a reporting ban, but Mr Justice Spencer lifted this restriction, stating it was in the public interest to deter young people from carrying knives.

The judge remarked, “There is a public interest in trying to deflect young people from the carrying of knives, where when that happens, this kind of utterly tragic outcome can occur.” He added that the public’s right to know the details of the case outweighed the defendant’s interest in maintaining anonymity.

The defence team had requested that the judge postpone lifting the ban until after sentencing in May, but the judge insisted the public deserved to know the complete details of the case involving the 14-year-old victim. Once Amies turns 18, the anonymity order will expire, and his sentence will extend beyond that birthday.

During the trial, jurors learned that Amies was walking through Whitehills Nature Park with his girlfriend when he was followed by a group of youths. He had a serrated kitchen knife in his jacket pocket, which he claimed to have taken from home for “reassurance.” He used it to slash Tomasz when confronted.

After delivering the fatal blow, Amies reportedly shouted to the gang, “I’ve wetted your boy,” indicating his intent to boast about the stabbing. Prosecutor Mark McKone KC stated, “He wanted them to know he had stabbed one of their number. It was a boast.”

Peter Makepeace KC, representing Amies, argued that the defendant did not seek trouble and urged the jury to consider his situation: a 14-year-old under attack in the dark, unsure if the group was armed. He said, “This is a 14-year-old under group attack and having to make terrible decisions under a moment’s notice.”

The jury also found Amies guilty of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to the boy whose coat was slashed. The judge commended the jurors for their dedication throughout the emotional trial and offered them an exemption from jury service for five years.