A mother has hit out at one of the killers of her teenage son for allegedly making a “cut-throat gesture” at her after he was convicted of her child’s murder.
Rhamero West, a 16-year-old known to many as Mero, died in hospital after he was chased by car and on foot and stabbed multiple times in Trafford, Greater Manchester, on 9 September last year.
Marquis Richards, 17, Ryan Cashin, 19, and Giovanni Lawrence, 20, were convicted of his murder last month at Manchester Crown Court, and were sentenced on Friday to at least 18, 24 and 21 years in prison respectively.
Entering the witness box at their sentencing hearing, West’s mother, Kelly Brown condemned her son’s three killers for showing “no remorse” during the trial and instead “giggling and smirking in the dock like it’s all a big game”.
Accusing the killers of hunting down her son “like a pack of wolves” without considering the impact upon not only her family but also their own, she added: “None of you have any respect for myself, my family or even this courtroom.”
The court heard how, after spotting West in a stolen BMW in stationary traffic on Princess Parkway, Richards got out of another vehicle and wielded a knife at the driver’s window and began attacking the car, prompting a high-speed pursuit which resulted in West hitting another vehicle and crashing into a tree.
Getting out of his own vehicle to chase West on foot, Richards handed the murder weapon to Cashin, who cornered the 16-year-old in a front garden and stabbed him multiple times, fatally severing an artery in the back of his left thigh.
Addressing Richards on Friday, West’s mother said: “The last day you got found guilty you did a cut-throat gesture and told me my son had been smoked.
“So all I can say is thank you for showing your true colours.”
West’s mother told the court he had been going to see friends after what had been his first day at college, but “never made it home”.
Ms Brown said: “Rhamero is our youngest son aged 16 and had his whole life ahead of him with so many goals he wanted to achieve. Goals that were taken away from him in such a cruel and horrific way.
She added: “All those involved in taking my son’s life will serve their time and justice will be prevailed. However during this time we know that they will still be able to have contact with family and will one day be released back into society. Their families will not suffer the way we have.
“These people will still be able to set and achieve goals, have a family, go on holidays and be around all those that love them. This was robbed from Rhamero.
“We are doing a life sentence and things will never be the same again for us and his family. Rhamero touched the lives of not just his family, friends but the community as well.”
Additional reporting by PA
Giovanni Lawrence, 20, who drove the car during the chase, went on the run for four months after Rhamero’s murder
Video footage shows Marquis Richards, 17, jumping out of a car with a large knife before chasing Rhamero and his friends down the street
Ryan Cashin, 19, was heard to shout ‘Argh got you’ before stabbing Rhamero several times with a large knife
