Gang faces life in prison for killing soap star's brother

Published on Thursday 11 June 2009 20:06

THREE youths face life sentences after being found guilty of killing Ben Kinsella, the 16-year-old brother of actress Brooke Kinsella.

Juress Kika, 19, Jade Braithwaite, 18, and Michael Alleyne, 20, were convicted of murder at the Old Bailey yesterday.

After being led into court in handcuffs, the three Londoners were remanded in custody for sentencing today.

Ben had been in a bar with friends in Islington, north London, on 29 June last year. They had been celebrating the end of their GCSE exams when a row broke out.

Although the confrontation had nothing to do with him, he was chased along the street with other youngsters – and stabbed to death when he stopped.

Ben was stabbed 11 times in five seconds by the three youths in revenge for the "disrespect" shown to Braithwaite earlier.

Former East-Enders actress Brooke Kinsella, 25, sat with her fingers crossed and burst into tears after the verdict. Her parents, George and Deborah, who had attended every day of the six-week trial, shouted "yes" and wept.

Outside court, Ms Kinsella, said: "There is never going to be enough justice but we have got it now."

Kika had been on the run from police for ten days following a robbery in which a man was knifed on 19 June.

Alleyne was undergoing an 18-month detention and training order for drug dealing.

Braithwaite had been given a community order for an attempted robbery in 2007.