Mikey Roynon died from a single stab wound at a party in Bath
By Emma Elgee and Dan Johnson
BBC News, Bristol
Three teenage boys have been found guilty of killing a 16-year-old with a large zombie knife at a house party.
Mikey Roynon, from Kingswood, Bristol, was stabbed in the neck during a row at a house in Bath on 10 June 2023.
Jurors found one boy guilty of murder and the other two guilty of manslaughter. The 16-year-olds can not be named for legal reasons.
Mikey’s mum, Hayley Ryall, said the teens have “got what they deserved”, adding her family “have all suffered”.
The boy found guilty of murder had admitted stabbing Mikey but said he acted in self-defence.
Mikey’s family broke down in tears and hugged each other as verdicts were delivered. The trio will be sentenced on 3 May.
‘Keep his name alive’
Judge Mr Justice Saini said Mikey’s family and the jurors had behaved with “dignity and respect” throughout the trial.
Over the course of six weeks, the jury at Bristol Crown Court heard how trouble flared at a 16th birthday party, which was being held at a house in Eastfield Avenue in the Weston area of Bath.
Around 50 people were at the party when Mikey was stabbed in the garden and collapsed. He died a short time later.
Speaking outside of the court after the verdict, Ms Ryall said she wanted to keep her son’s “name alive” and that they had got justice.
“They got what they deserved, it’s really good. This makes a difference because we have all suffered,” she said.
Mikey Roynon’s mum Hayley Ryall spoke outside court
Jurors were shown CCTV footage, taken from a bus, of the three defendants arriving in Bath for the party after traveling from Wiltshire.
In the footage, what appeared to be sharp objects were shown beneath the defendants’ tops – which the prosecution said showed the boys arrived at the party armed.
The defendants left the scene and later disposed of their weapons, two of which were recovered by police.
A teenager, who was also at the party and gave evidence during the trial, said Mikey told him he thought he was going to die after being stabbed.
Witnesses said that about nine or 10 boys had pulled weapons “like swords and zombie knives”, the jury heard.
Around 50 people were at the party when Mikey was stabbed
During the trial the three defendants chose not to give evidence to the court but gave written statements.
Two of the boys, including the one who inflicted the wound, admitted possessing knives but the other boy denied having one. All three denied murder.
Summing up the trial, the judge had told jurors they needed to “put sympathy and emotion out of their minds” when deciding the verdicts.
He added that Mikey “was a child, the defendants are children”.
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