Teens detained over robbery

Liam Attwell has been dubbed a 'good Samaritan'

Three Bristol teenagers who committed a robbery in which a man who tried to intervene was murdered were detained on Tuesday.

Adam Gillespie and Darren Jones, both 18, and a 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, all pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to conspiracy to rob.

Mr Justice Brian Keith sentenced Gillespie to two-and-a-half years in a young offenders' institution and the other two to 10 month detention and training orders.

The three and another youth, Brian Grady, 17, tried to rob three teenage boys on October 3, 2002, in the Canon's Marsh area of Bristol.

You took part in the robbery which, in the chain of events, led to his death Mr Justice Keith

Passer-by Liam Attwell intervened to help the boys being robbed.

Mr Attwell, 25, remonstrated with the gang and Grady produced a knife and stabbed him once through the heart.

He died in hospital three days later.

Grady, of Barton Hill, has recently been detained for at least 11 years after he was convicted of murdering Mr Attwell.

CCTV

Sentencing, Mr Justice Keith told the three youths: "You may not have known that Grady had a knife and may not have expected a member of the public to intervene, but things happen unexpectedly and can get out of hand."

He said none of them was responsible for Liam Attwell's death but said: "You took part in the robbery which, in the chain of events, led to his death."

On Tuesday, the court heard how Gillespie, Jones, Grady and the 17-year-old had encircled, intimidated and threatened the three boys before searching their bags and trying to take a mobile phone and cannabis.

They had cycled off after the stabbing and were arrested on 10 October as a result of CCTV footage.

All three had been in custody since their arrests and the judge said, subject to good behaviour, they should be released in five months.