A teen found guilty of murdering 16-year-old Harry Pitman who was stabbed in the neck at a New Year’s Eve event has learned his fate.
Areece Lloyd-Hall was convicted at the Old Bailey following a retrial after jurors in the first trial were unable to reach a verdict. He has been detained for at least 16 years after being found guilty by a majority of 11 to one. He was previously convicted of possessing an offensive weapon.
The jury was told Lloyd-Hall, from Westminster, unleashed the fatal stabbing at Primrose Hill on December 31, 2023, after Harry accidentally bumped into another boy while “play-fighting” and practising high kicks.
(Image: PA)
Prosecution barrister Jocelyn Ledward KC told jurors “revelry turned to tragedy in the blink of an eye”, reports BBC. Harry and Lloyd-Hall were unknown to each other and had each gone to watch the fireworks with different groups of friends.
As well as the 16-year sentence, Lloyd-Hall will also get a 16-month sentence for possession of a knife.
Lloyd-Hall will spend his 20s detained or inside prison, with the age 32 being the earliest he can be released.
According to MyLondon, he showed no emotion as he left the court.
In a televised sentencing, Mr Justice Cavanagh said Harry had been a normal “boisterous and exuberant” 16-year-old who was “full of charm”.
He said Lloyd-Hall had carried a knife to feel “powerful” and out of “bravado” – and not for protection, as he had claimed in his trial.
(Image: PA Media)
The judge told him: “You stabbed Harry because you lost your temper with him and you acted like a big man in front of your friends.”
The stabbing took place in front of a crowd gathered in the park watching fireworks over the River Thames.
Lloyd-Hall, now aged 18, lunged at Harry with a pointed dagger, metres from where uniformed police officers were positioned. In mobile shown to the court, a knife sheath was flying through the air during the incident. Harry was covered in blood while holding his neck as staggered through crowds calling to officers for “help”.
He collapsed and died minutes later before midnight. Lloyd-Hall, who was 16 at the time of the attack, claimed he had only hit Harry with the sheath to try and get Harry away from him. He said: “I did not want him to lose his life. I feel horrible for what I caused. It was not my intention.”
Lloyd-Hall was suffering from cannabis-induced paranoia, jurors were told, and may have suffered PTSD after witnessing the aftermath of another stabbing and the death of a friend to knife crime in June 2023.
At the first trial in October last year, a jury found Lloyd-Hall guilty of possession of an offensive weapon. However, they failed to agree on other charges, it can now be reported.
Harry’s family gasped as Lloyd-Hall was convicted of murder.
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