Bristol area ‘in the middle of a plague of knife crime’ – judge sentencing remarks in full following murder of Mikey Roynon

Bristol and its surrounding areas are “in the middle of a plague of knife crime” as more boys with knives are killed by others with weapons, a judge remarked. Justice Saini made the observations as he sentenced three boys over the fatal stabbing of Kingswood teenager Mikey Roynon at a birthday party in Weston, Bath on June 10, 2023.

Cunningham was found guilty of murder while his two co-accused friends Cartel Bushnell, aged 16 and from Dorset and Leo Knight, aged 16 and from Wiltshire, were found guilty of manslaughter at Bristol Crown Court. The boys had travelled to the party from Wiltshire armed with knives.

Cunningham was detained for life after being found guilty of the murder of Mikey Roynon, Bushnell, aged 16 and from Dorset and Leo Knight, aged 16 and from Wiltshire, were found guilty of manslaughter at Bristol Crown Court. Bushnell was sentenced to nine years in jail and Knight, who was found guilty to possession of a knife, was jailed for nine years and six months.

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In his summing up of the case, Justice Saini made stark remarks about the state of knife crime and the tragedies that knives are causing in the area. He said: “Bristol and its surrounding areas are in the middle of a plague of knife crime.

“The plague has continued since this trial finished. The lives of young boys who carry knives continue to be taken at the hands of other boys who carry knives. Those who carry knives are themselves the most likely to be killed with a knife.

He added: “There is no evidence that Mikey went to the party to have anything but fun” and no one visited the party looking for a fight.