Salford teen convicted of manslaughter after death of 14-year-old boy

An 18-year-old boy from Salford has been found guilty of manslaughter after a 14-year-old boy was fatally stabbed in Newcastle.

The teen, Carlos Neto, has been found guilty along with another 18-year-old-boy from Newbiggin Hall.

The 14-year-old boy, Gordon Gault, was slashed on the arm with a machete as he rode on the back of a friend’s e-bike in Newcastle’s West End in November 2022.

Gordon sadly died six days later in hospital, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Police at work. Free public domain CC0 photo.

The fatal attack, which also saw one of his associates slashed in the back, came against a background of “tit-for-tat violence” between two groups who were looking for each other that night, jurors were told.

Four other teenagers were suspected to be involved that night but were cleared of the joint enterprise murder of the 14-year-old boy.

Summing up before he sent the jury out, Mr Justice Martin Spencer said the prosecution case detailed six teenagers who went on what is known as a “ride” or a “glide” into a rival group’s territory of Elswick.

Aerial view of Newcastle upon Tyne. Image credit: Public Domain

They were armed and intended to carry out a revenge attack after one of their members, Benedict Mbala, had been attacked earlier that day, the court heard.

Defendant Carlos Neto, 18, struck Gordon in a surprise attack, the court heard.

The jury heard rap lyrics featuring the death of the 14-year-old that were found on some of the defendants’ phones by police.

The judge said Neto’s case was that he was acting in self-defence and he reminded the jury of Jason Pitter KC’s comment, defending, that what was said in rap or drill music was not necessarily true, just as Bob Marley and Eric Clapton had not really shot a sheriff.

Other defendants claimed they were only in Elswick that evening to film a video for social media to show they were not scared of their rivals, the jury was reminded.

Following the conclusion of the trial, Gordon’s mother Dionne Barrett said: “We as a family will never get over Gordon’s death.

“To those who didn’t know Gordon, he was a practical joker, always laughing and had a heart of gold. He cared for his family and friends so much. He was a big softy and loved his dog, Bruno.

“He was such a happy, loving young son who lit up the room with his energy.

“Life will simply never be the same without him.”