Jonathan Vickers

Unsolved Murders

Age: unknown

Sex: male

Date: 25 May 1983

Place: Handsworth Grammar School, Grove Lane, Handsworth

Jonathan Vickers died after being stabbed by his 14-year-old friend in a playground game.

The 14-year-old was tried at Birmingham Crown Court but acquitted after the judge ruled that there was not sufficient evidence for the jury to convict him.

It was heard that they had been involved in a boisterous playground game at Handsworth Grammar School, in which Jonathan Vickers had jumped on his friend, after which his friend pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the heart.

The 14-year-old boy said in a statement to the police, that after Jonathan Vickers jumped on him:

I pulled the knife out of my pocket to warn him to keep away, but he lurched slightly forward and the blade of the knife caught him somewhere in his chest. We had not had an argument up until this moment. I had no intention of hurting him, and I regret that the incident happened.

However, the prosecution stated that producing the knife had been an unlawful and dangerous act.

However, after hearing the evidence for the prosecution the defence stated that the prosecution coulf not disprove that it was not an accident.

In his ruling however, the judge said:

What the accused is shown to have done does not amount to an assault. To produce a knife in jest, with no intention to do any harm, does not amount to an unlawful act. The prosecution can only establish manslaughter by proving gross negligence, and that they had not sought to do.

When boy's headmaster gave evidence, he described the boy as a well behaved, intelligent boy, adding:

I would be prepared to consider having him back at school.

Jonathan Vickers's mother said that she had forgiven the 14-year-old boy, adding:

Boys will be boys.

She added:

This whole experience has been like bleeding to death ourselves.

Jonathan Vickers's father said:

I would have thought that there should at least have been a warning to the lad rather than just having him walk free from the court, possibly to go back to the same school. It is a little bit hard for me to take

*map pointers are rough estimates based on known location details as per Place field above.

see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

see Birmingham Mail - Wednesday 12 October 1983