Four men and a teenage boy have been convicted over the brutal murder of 17-year-old Harry Baker in a drugs-related dispute. The verdicts were delivered earlier this month, with sentencing taking place today at Newport Crown Court.
Leon Clifford, 23, received life imprisonment with a minimum term of 27 years. Leon Symons, 22, was sentenced to life with at least 28 years behind bars. Peter McCarthy, 38, was given life with a minimum of 23 years. Seventeen-year-old Brandon Liversidge, previously unnamed due to legal restrictions, faces a minimum of 20 years in custody.
In addition, Lewis Evans, 62, was jailed for 4 years for manslaughter. Ryan Palmer, 34, received an 11-year prison sentence. Raymond Thompson, 48, was sentenced to six years.
Judge Justice Picken condemned the killing, stating, “Harry did not deserve to die and his death is as tragic and unnecessary as that of anybody who is murdered, and I make that abundantly clear.”
Senior Investigating Officer DCI Andy Miles commented on the case, saying, “This was a lengthy and complex trial involving a number of defendants, and I’m grateful to the jury for the diligence and commitment they showed throughout and for returning verdicts which provide justice for Harry and his devastated family.”
He added, “I hope the sentences also send a stark warning to those involved in illegal drug activity and knife crime; tackling such criminality is a priority for South Wales Police and we will be relentless in investigating, tackling and bringing those involved to justice.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
