Teenage killers locked up following murder of man on skate park

Two teenagers who murdered a man with a brick on a skate park have been locked up.

Jack Edwards was left with serious head injuries after being attacked by Kai Howitt and an unnamed 13-year-old boy.

The duo picked up pieces of masonry before simultaneously hurling them at the 24-year-old from a couple of metres away.

While one of the missiles missed, the other struck Jack straight in the face – leaving him with the injuries that claimed his life.

The fatal blow came shortly after an argument developed between Jack and a group of young people on a skate park in Nottingham city centre.

Howitt, then 18, and his 13-year-old accomplice, were among those involved in the confrontation in Sussex Street, opposite Nottingham College, on the evening of 5 December 2023.

This then began to escalate, with members of the group – including Howitt – starting to throw objects at Jack as the argument became more and more heated.

When each of the missiles missed, the unnamed 13-year-old boy picked up two pieces of masonry from the ground and handed one of the objects to Howitt.

They then moved across the skate park towards Jack and, as he backed away, decided to simultaneously throw the objects at him from close range.  

One of the pieces of masonry hit Jack in the face, with his attackers then choosing to flee from the skate park and leave him lying on the ground with serious head injuries.

He would go on to die from these injuries in hospital two days later, on 7 December. Following his death, Jack’s devastated family spoke out about their loss.

Mum Zoe Edwards said: “You will always be our loving son, loveable rogue. They have taken away our happiness, but they can never take away our love for you, dear son.

“We will always carry this sadness and aching in our hearts until we meet again.”

Brother Reece Edwards added: “Everyday, I question what’s the point of achievements in life if I haven’t got my brother. We were supposed to smash life together.

“Every day, I dread night times because that is when it becomes quiet, and I see your face all lifeless.

“I’ll never be the same person without you. I’ll never laugh and smile the same. I will try and make you proud, big brother.”

Howitt, 19, of Trent Boulevard, West Bridgford, and the 13-year-old boy, who can’t be named for legal reasons, were both caught by police shortly after the attack.

Both denied murdering Jack, with a court hearing during the trial that followed how the 13-year-old had searched how many years in prison a person could receive for ‘bricking’ someone.

Howitt also conducted multiple incident searches for news about the incident, with detectives uncovering all of these checks after reviewing the CCTV footage needed to identify Jack's killers. 

Following a two-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court, both defendants were found guilty of murder on 27 June.

Both appeared at Liverpool Crown Court to be sentenced on Monday (15 July).

Howitt was sentenced to life in prison and must spend a minimum of 14 years in custody before being considered for release. 

The 13-year-old was sentenced separately to a minimum term of five years and six months in a young offender institution.

Both will remain on licence for the rest of their lives.  

Detective Inspector Clare Gibson, of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: “Throughout each stage of this investigation and the murder trial that followed, Jack’s killers never owned up to their crime.

“Despite knowing exactly what they’d done, both defendants denied any wrongdoing, with Jack’s family having to relive what happened to him in court as a direct result.

“By launching pieces of masonry at Jack from point blank range, they must have realised the harm this could potentially cause, but both chose to throw them at him anyway.    

“They then immediately compounded what they’d done by fleeing from the scene and not trying to help Jack, who they instead left dying on the ground. 

“I can only imagine the pain Jack’s family are still going through but I’d again like to praise them for the way they’ve conducted themselves, both throughout our investigation and the court proceedings too.

“While no punishment handed out will ever make up for the ordeal they’ve suffered, I hope the sentence passed today will provide Jack’s loved ones with some small degree of comfort.”