A man has been convicted of murder for intentionally driving into and causing the death of a 15-year-old boy in a fit of anger. Terrence King, 60, fatally struck Devon Simmonds-Caines while driving at nearly twice the legal speed in Langley, Middleton, on July 22 last year. Devon, who was on a stolen e-bike, sustained severe injuries and passed away at the accident site on Rowrah Crescent.
Initially, King stated that he did not mean to harm the teenager but was attempting to block the bike to prevent its escape. Following an inconclusive trial in January, King, of Castlerigg Drive, Middleton, admitted to manslaughter after the jury was discharged. Prosecutors pushed for a retrial, leading to King being found guilty of murder.
Upon the announcement of the verdict, loud cries erupted in the courtroom as King remained seated with his head bowed. Judge Maurice Greene acknowledged the emotional response. During the trial at Minshull Street Crown Court, prosecutor Michael Hayton KC highlighted that Devon’s death resulted from King’s deliberate decision to drive at high speed towards him in a fit of anger.
Hayton described the injuries sustained by Devon as fatal and emphasized that the collision captured on footage showed no signs of King slowing down or applying the brakes on his Vauxhall. Moreover, it was revealed in court that the e-bike Devon was riding had been stolen earlier that day in a violent incident involving the bike’s owner being forcibly removed from it.
This marks a significant development in the case, with King’s conviction for murder shedding light on the tragic events that led to Devon’s untimely death.