In a tragic incident that shocked the community, two teenagers have been convicted of murder after a man was struck in the face with a brick at a skate park in Nottingham city centre. The victim, 24-year-old Jack Edwards, sustained fatal injuries in the attack.
The perpetrators, Kai Howitt and an unnamed 13-year-old boy armed themselves with pieces of masonry and targeted Jack from close range. While one of the projectiles missed, the other struck Jack directly in the face, leading to injuries that proved fatal.
The confrontation unfolded on Sussex Street, opposite Nottingham College, where Jack was hanging out with friends. An argument erupted between Jack and a group of young people, including Howitt and his teenage accomplice. The altercation escalated over several minutes, culminating in the violent attack.
During the heated argument, Howitt and others in the group threw objects at Jack, but all the missiles missed their target. The 13-year-old then retrieved two pieces of masonry from the ground, handing one to Howitt and keeping the other for himself. They closed in on Jack, who was backing away, and simultaneously hurled the objects at him from just a few meters away. One of the projectiles struck Jack, knocking him to the ground.
As the attackers fled the scene, Jack lay on the ground with severe head injuries. Passers-by rushed to his aid until paramedics arrived. Tragically, Jack succumbed to his injuries two days later, despite the best efforts of hospital staff.
Detectives investigating the incident uncovered disturbing details. Howitt had conducted multiple internet searches related to the attack, while the 13-year-old had looked up the potential prison sentence for such an assault. The evidence, including extensive CCTV footage, led to the identification and subsequent charges against the two individuals.