Overview

• Deshaun James-Tuitt, 15, was fatally stabbed in Highbury Fields, Islington, on August 4, 2022, while attending a friend's birthday celebration.
• The 17-year-old defendant, who remains anonymous due to his age, was convicted of murder in February 2025 and sentenced at the Old Bailey on April 25, 2025.
• Judge Angela Rafferty KC imposed a life sentence with a 15-year minimum term, reduced by 598 days for time already served in custody.
• The court heard the defendant carried a large knife to the park, where he was described by police as 'looking for trouble,' and stabbed Deshaun during an altercation.
• Despite engaging in educational programs while in custody, the defendant continues to deny responsibility for the stabbing, which the judge ruled was intended to cause serious harm.