Baby-faced murderers, 13 & 14, who stabbed schoolboy to death in cannabis row are unmasked as they’re jailed for life
BABY-FACED teen killers, aged 13 and 14, who stabbed a schoolboy to death have been named for the first time as they are jailed for life.
Kyle Dermody, now 15, and Trey Stewart-Gayle, now 14, savagely knifed Nathaniel Shani, 14, in Harpurhey, Manchester over a cannabis row on September 15, 2023.
Reporting restrictions have now been lifted, allowing the murderous teens to be identified.
As reported by Manchester Evening News, High Court judge Mrs Justice Ellenbogen, said: “The public will wish to know the identities of those who commit such a serious offence in seeking to understand how it is that children of that age can do so.
“Knife crime in general and the circumstances of this particular case are matters of substantial public interest.”
The court heard how Nathaniel and Dermody had previously been pals at Manchester Communications Academy.
But “physical fights” were sparked after a row over stolen cannabis, which saw the boys “fall out”.
The jury heard how Nathaniel had been involved in low-level drug dealing around two weeks prior to his murder.
Cops confirmed the teen was being taken advantage of by people older than himself.
On the day he was brutally knifed to death, Nathaniel, who wanted to be known as “a hard kid”, discovered the class B drug had been taken from his friend.
It had been nicked by the then 13-year-old Stewart-Gayle.
Nathaniel saw this as a “loss of face” and a “one v one fight” was set to resolve the matter.
He met with Dermody and Stewart-Gayle at around 6pm that evening.
The court heard how Nathaniel punched Dermody, who was being cheered on by Stewart-Gayle.
Dermody, who was 14-years-old at the time, pulled out a blade and fatally stabbed Nathaniel in the neck.
Stewart-Gayle was heard saying “do it” after seeing the knife, the court heard.
Nathaniel was pronounced dead at 7.08pm.
Dermody will have to serve at least 13 years, while Stewart-Gayle, who was found to have “encouraged and assisted” armed with a screwdriver, will have to carry out at least 10 years.
Upon sentencing the callous pair, the judge said of their victim: “That a boy of his age should have met his death by boys of a similar age is a tragedy – sadly it is no longer shocking.
“Whatever his flaws, Nathaniel did not deserve to die and not in such a violent way.
“He deserved the opportunity to better himself and to make a positive contribution to society.
“Unlike you, and by reason of your senseless behaviour he will never now be able to do so.”
During the trial the court heard Dermody’s lawyers argue the teen believed Nathaniel was also carrying a knife.
He claimed he was acting in self-defense.
Meanwhile, Stewart-Gayle’s team told the court how he had confessed to police the following day.
He told officers he had taken the screwdriver from Dermody but had never intended to use it.
The then 13-year-old also admitted to stealing cannabis.
