Teen, 17, Found Guilty of Manslaughter Over Fatal Bexleyheath Stabbing
A 17-year-old boy has been convicted of manslaughter following the stabbing death of 20-year-old Ben Lines in Bexleyheath last year.
The teen, who was 16 at the time, appeared at the Old Bailey where he admitted to assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) and was found guilty of manslaughter.
Stabbing Sparked by Cannabis Deal Gone Wrong
Ben Lines, from Belvedere, was stabbed at around 2.48pm on Sunday 13 October 2019 on Barnehurst Avenue, Bexleyheath, DA7. Despite air ambulance treatment, he died shortly before 5.30pm in hospital.
The deadly sequence began after the teenager arranged to buy cannabis from Ben but didn’t pay. Instead, the car carrying the teen and two others sped off. Ben chased their vehicle, which later crashed into theirs.
Fight, Stabbing and Dramatic Police Chase
Witnesses saw the two cars collide before a brawl broke out. Ben got out of the crashed Ford Fiesta and confronted the teen passenger of a silver VW Golf. During the fight, the teenager brandished a knife and stabbed Ben before ditching the weapon and fleeing with the driver.
Local residents tried to stop them. The teen punched a 41-year-old man in the face but still managed to escape.
Police Praise Community Courage After Verdict
Detective Inspector Tariq Farooqil said: “This was an incredibly tragic event that led to a young man losing his life. Regardless of what led up to that, it does not justify the violence.
“I want to praise the bravery of local people who risked their safety to help Ben, gave evidence in court, and prevented the attacker from fleeing. Their actions, alongside the jury’s verdict, hopefully bring some comfort to Ben’s family and friends.”
“This heartbreaking loss highlights the senselessness of knife crime. No good ever comes from carrying a knife. The Met remains committed to tackling knife crime, shown by how quickly my team identified and charged the suspect.”
A separate 16-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of attempted murder has been released with no further action. Another 17-year-old faces driving and assault charges and will appear in Magistrates’ Court soon.
