UPDATE – Jon-Jo Highton murder trial

UPDATE 

Today a sixth man was found guilty of murder, this being Zaahid Patel.

 The six found guilty of murder and the three found guilty of assisting an offender will be sentenced tomorrow.

Eight men are due to stand trial at Preston Crown Court on Tuesday 24 February 2015 accused of murder and three men accused of assisting an offender.

 The trial is set to last for around 10 – 12 weeks.

 The charges relate to the death of 18 year old Jon-Jo Highton.

 At 11.20pm on Saturday 23 August 2014 police were called to reports that a man had been stabbed on St Stephen’s Road in Preston. Police and paramedics attended and Jon-Jo was found with serious knife injuries. He died at the scene. A post mortem examination showed Jon-Jo died as a result of a wound to the neck caused by some sort of blade and had also sustained several other wounds to his face and body.

 The defendant’s details are as follows:

 Murder

 1)         Owen Whitesmith, 05/06/1995, Glebe Close Fulwood

2)         Arron Graham, 15/01/1992, Ripon Street, Preston

3)         Stephen Walton, 18/06/1990, NFA

4)         Craig Walton, 10/03/1988, Watling Street Road, Fulwood 

5)         Joshua Bore, 15/04/1995, Morris Road, Ribbleton

6)         Zaahid Patel, 15/02/1995, Park Avenue, Preston

7)         Mohammed Sabbah Dal, 15/01/1995, Alice Square, Preston

8)         Minhaj Musa, 18/02/1994, Deepdale Road, Preston

 Assisting an offender

 1)         Liam Tunstall, 15/08/1988, Mark Close, Penwortham

2)         John Wilding, 05/07/1978, Everton Street, Darwen

3)         Stuart Eastham, 16/02/1982, Gisburn Road, Ribbleton

 A further two people are set to stand trial later in the year (no date yet) in connection with the incident.

 Pervert course of justice

 1)         Natasha Tunstall, 19/07/1986, Everton Road, Darwen

2)         William Bore, 05/02/1969, Morris Road, Ribbleton