Glasgow teens ordered back to court after church victim dies

Two teenagers who were jailed for trying to kill an innocent man have now been convicted of murder after the victim later died.
Two teenagers have been ordered back to court after their victim diedTwo teenagers have been ordered back to court after their victim died
Two teenagers have been ordered back to court after their victim died

Daniel Kinlan and Darren Boland attacked Ajani Tella as he returned home from church in Springburm, Glasgow, in August 2015.

The pair, who were then aged 15 and 16, were each sentenced to more than six years after they pled guilty to attempted murder in November 2015.

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Mr Tella, 60, who was left badly brain damaged, later died from pneumonia in December 2016.

In a rare move, prosecutors then summoned Kinlan and Boland back into the dock to face a murder charge, which they denied.

It was claimed there was no “direct link” between the fatal pneumonia and the brain injury.

There were also accusations of poor care Mr Tella had allegedly received at a nursing home.

Kinlan, 18, and Boland, 19, now each face a life sentence after yesterday being found guilty following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

They will learn the minimum they will spend behind bars next month.

Mr Tella, who was originally from Nigeria, was set upon as he returned to his tower block from a night-time vigil at his local church.

Kinlan had taken a cocktail of cider and drugs. Boland had consumed a large amount of vodka.

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They turned on Mr Tella after Boland initially tried to grab his hat. Mr Tella cried out for help before he was punched on the head and body.

CCTV footage showed Mr Tella then being pummelled as he lay helpless on the ground.

Prosecutor Stewart Ronnie told the 2015 hearing: “He was unable to defend himself. Kinlan kicked him on the head two of three times. Boland also kicked him.

“Kinlan then kicked and stamped on the victim’s head as he lay prone around 20 times. Whilst doing this, he took hold of fencing solely to achieve a more effective stamp.”

The teenagers then left their victim blood-soaked and unconscious.

Mr Tella later died at a nursing home in Glasgow’s east end. He had been described as severely disabled and that it was “unlikely” he would live an independent life again.

The murder trial largely focused on whether the attack caused his eventual death.

Lady Stacey deferred sentencing for reports.