A teenager convicted of murdering 16-year-old Harry Pitman at a New Year’s Eve fireworks celebration will be sentenced today (Monday, November 10) at the Old Bailey. Gasps were heard in court on October 29 as Areece Lloyd-Hall was convicted of murder following the fatal incident in Primrose Hill on December 31, 2023.
Lloyd-Hall, from Westminster, was convicted after a retrial as jurors were initially unable to reach a verdict. The 18-year-old was found guilty by a majority of 11 to one after almost eight hours of deliberation. He had already been convicted of possessing an offensive weapon.
The court heard Harry had accidently bumped into another boy while “play-fighting” and practicing high kicks. The attack then took place in front of a crowd of revellers who had gathered to watch the fireworks, while uniformed police were situated just metres away.
In “shocking” mobile phone footage played in court, a knife sheath was seen to fly through the air during the fast-paced incident. Harry held his neck, his white T-shirt covered in blood, as he pushed through crowds calling to officers for “help”.
He collapsed and died minutes later, shortly before midnight. Lloyd-Hall, who was 16 at the time, later claimed he thought he had only hit Harry with the sheath.
The sentencing hearing will begin at 10am.
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