Boy, 15, jailed over death of teenager Tomasz Oleszak

A teenager has been sentenced to at least 12 years behind bars after the death of 14-year-old Tomasz Oleszak.

On October 3 last year, Tomasz was with friends in the Springwell Estate area of Gateshead, close to the Sunderland border, when a dispute between his friendship group and another teenager started.

Unbeknown to Tomasz and his friends, the other teenager, who was also 14 at the time, was carrying a knife.

Tomasz was stabbed in the chest and sadly, despite the best efforts of medical professionals, died from his injuries early the next morning.

An investigation was launched and detectives subsequently charged a teenage boy with murder and possession of a bladed article. He was also charged with assault in relation to another boy.

He denied both the murder and assault charges. However, in April, following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court, he was found guilty of murder.

He was also found guilty of attempted assault on the second boy.

He had previously admitted one count of possession of a bladed article.

Following the verdict, the judge lifted an order banning the identity of the offender and he was named as Leighton Amies, now 15, of Gateshead.

At that same court today, the judge sentenced Amies, 15, to a minimum of 12 years behind bars.

Detective Inspector Chris Deavin, of Northumbria Police, was the Senior Investigating Officer in the case.

He said: “This is a truly tragic case and our thoughts very much remain with Tomasz’s heartbroken family and loved ones, who are facing the worst sentence of all – a life without Tomasz.

“This case should send an unequivocal message to anyone who chooses to carry a weapon of any kind or believes that violence is acceptable that the consequences can be devastating.

“Look at the pain this tragedy has caused – not only could you take away someone else’s future and destroy the lives of their loved ones, but also ruin your own life and those of your family and friends.”

Det Insp Deavin has also given thanks to the many teenagers and community members who supported the investigation.

He said: “This has been an extremely sad case and I would like to thank the community for their support throughout the investigation.

“In particular, I really want to recognise and thank those who were there at time for assisting our officers.

“Many of those who were with Tomasz were teenagers themselves but they have shown immense courage and resilience and a determination to get their friend justice.

“This is a tragic incident, where a teenager has taken the life of another teenager but the actions of Tomasz’ brave friends give me faith in our young people – the majority of whom know right from wrong.”

Det Insp Deavin added: “As a Force, we fully recognise the impact such incidents have and we're working every day to tackle knife crime and reduce the impact it has on our communities.

“This includes working with partners to carry out prevention activity, including educating children and young adults about the dangers of carrying weapons, and holding proactive operations, such as knife searches and targeting suspects.

“We need your help too. As ever, we'd ask families to speak to children about the dangers of carrying a knife and ask everyone to report any concerns or suspicions. If you believe a friend or someone you know is carrying a knife – let us know.

“Most importantly, we implore those who do carry a knife or believe it is a wise, admirable or a necessary thing to do, to think again and stop.”