Pair plead guilty over fatal stabbing of boy, 15

A man and a teenager have pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of a 15-year-old boy who was fatally stabbed in the chest.

Isaac Brown was attacked in New Square, West Bromwich, just after 21:00 BST on 7 April.

Reehan Nezir, 18, and a 14-year-old who cannot be named, admitted the charge at Bolton Crown Court on Tuesday, in addition to further offences of robbery and possession of a bladed article.

The teenagers previously denied murder and the judge in the case directed the jury to find them not guilty of that charge.

Both defendants are due to be sentenced at the same court on 31 January.

West Midlands Police said Brown and two friends had arranged to meet up with Nezir and the 14-year-old to "sort out" a dispute.

The force said a 12-year-old boy had been robbed earlier that evening by a group in Smethwick that included the two defendants.

Brown knew the victim of the robbery through a friend and circulated messages on social media to find out the attackers’ identity, police said.

The defendants communicated with Brown and his friend on social media and tensions escalated between the two groups, who then met in West Bromwich.

Police said CCTV footage showed clashes between the teenagers, where weapons were brandished and Brown was fatally stabbed in the chest.

Nezir, of Edith Road in Smethwick, and the 14-year-old fled but they were both arrested the following day. They were aged 17 and 13 at the time.

In a statement released by police, Brown’s family described him as "a wonderful, loving, kind, happy, son, brother, grandson, nephew and cousin."

They added that he was "fun and mischievous, always smiling and always there to help".

"We are unable to understand what has happened. We just want him back and this not to have happened."

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