Teenagers Convicted of Murder and Attempted Murder

A man was fatally stabbed, and three teenagers have been convicted of his murder. Gary Belfield, aged 40, from the Manchester area, was discovered at a residence on Elliott Drive in Felling, Gateshead, on April 27. Leandro Lopes, 18, from Byker, Newcastle, appeared before Newcastle Crown Court with a 17-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl. All three were also found guilty of the attempted murder of a man in his 20s. The trio has been remanded in custody and is scheduled for sentencing in January. According to Northumbria Police, Lopes, whose address is Archer Street, and the two other teenagers traveled to Elliott Drive with the intention of resolving “a pre-existing dispute.” Lopes and the teenage boy gained entry to the property and proceeded to stab both men multiple times. Mr. Belfield suffered 11 distinct injuries during the assault. Emergency services discovered Mr. Belfield upon their arrival shortly after 21:10 BST; he was pronounced dead at the scene. The second man, despite sustaining serious injuries, managed to escape and alert authorities at a nearby garage. He has since fully recovered. After a four-week trial, a jury rendered a guilty verdict for all charges against the three defendants. The 15-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy cannot be identified due to their age. Detective Inspector Chris Deavin of Northumbria Police stated that the case serves as the “latest example of how violence destroys so many lives.” He further commented, “Gary is no longer with us because of the decision to carry weapons that night, and the pain of that tragedy will never leave his loved ones.” In a tribute issued following Mr. Belfield’s death, his family characterized him as “a caring friendly person” who was well-liked in his hometown. They also stated: “He never looked for or got into trouble.”