Teenager fatally stabbed outside Coventry nightclub

A teenager died in the early hours of this morning after a fight broke out at a Coventry nightclub.



West Midlands Police have launched a murder investigation after an 18-year-old man was found fatally injured outside Society nightclub, in Tower Street, at about 2am.

The victim was later pronounced dead in hospital.

Another 18-year-old is in hospital with serious injuries, while a 17-year-old was also hurt.

Police and ambulance crews were called to the club in response to reports of a disturbance inside the venue.

Tower Street is expected to remain closed for most of today while forensics experts scour the scene for evidence.

West Midlands Police is appealing for anyone who was in Society nightclub last night and who witnessed the disorder to contact detectives in the Homicide Team at Harborne police station on 101.

Alternatively, people can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Daniel Kirkwood's family praise decision to shut venue where he died



The family of a teenager who died in a Coventry nightclub stabbing have praised the decision to revoke the venue’s licence.

It only took Coventry City Council’s licensing committee an hour to decide that Society, in Tower Street, should be shut following the death of Daniel Kirkwood last month.

Committee members heard details of a series of incidents that took place prior to the night the teenager died.

In one incident outside the club in 2013 a man was left with such horrific injuries that police had to push part of his intestines back into his stomach.

Daniel, 18, suffered a fatal stab wound to the neck during an urban night held at the venue, on March 15. Five Birmingham men have been charged with his murder.

A minute’s silence was held for him before the hearing started.

Daniel’s mother and sister sat through the licensing hearing but club owner Gurdeep Bassi did not attend.

Speaking afterwards, family liaison officer Det Con Rob Williams said: “They are pleased the right decision has been made today.

“We will continue to support Daniel’s family throughout the process of the murder investigation.”

Det Con Williams said the family “would have liked to hear a response” from Mr Bassi.

Asking for the licence to be revoked, Pc Jo Bowes, of Coventry Police, told the hearing: “The venue has a long history of mismanagement, disorder and substance abuse.

“That has led to us speaking to the venue management on numerous occasions.

“Over the last few months there have been several high risk events that have ended in disorder.”

She added: “The thinking within the police is that the only way forward here is to revoke the licence.

“We have no faith in the premises, we have no faith in the management.”

Committee members asked the police why action wasn’t taken against Society prior to Daniel’s murder.

Coun Allan Andrews (Con, Earlsdon) said: “I have been making a list of the incidents involving this venue that feature the word stab, slash or wound.

“I want to know if there were grounds for a review before this one?”

Committee chairman Coun Patricia Hetherton said: “We’re given a catalogue of paper - one incident after another that took place before a young man died.

“It seems to me you’re saying that Mr Bassi co-operates but doesn’t really and you find he hasn’t done what he said he said he would do.

“How is it that we have to wait for a young man to be murdered before something is done.”

Insp Hasson Shigdar, from Coventry Police’s partnerships team, said he was “convinced” that action couldn’t have been taken sooner.

“We monitor each and every incident that takes place,” he said.

“On reflection had we had the opportunity we would have liked to have taken it.

“It may have prevented a tragic death. Unfortunately I don’t think sufficient detail was there for that enforcement action to be taken.”

During the hearing police confirmed that the remnants of a cannabis factory, that may have contained up to 200 plants, was found in the building.

Pc Bowes said officers suspect that factory was dismantled on the night Daniel died.

Insp Shigdar added: “Given the presence of a cannabis set up in the basement experience would suggest there is a possibility the premises has links in some shape or form to organised criminality.”

Neither Mr Bassi or any legal representatives for Society were present for the hearing.

At the start of the hearing committee members heard that the club’s legal team had requested an adjournment, but that request was denied.

Mr Bassi may appeal the decision in the magistrates court, but the licence suspension remains in place until those proceedings have concluded.

Fifth man to stand trial over Daniel Kirkwood murder

A FIFTH MAN will stand trial after denying being involved in the murder of Coventry teenager, Daniel Kirkwood.

Ezra Scott of Hawksyard Road, Erdington, Birmingham, pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to the murder of the 18-year-old who died in hospital shortly after he was stabbed in the neck outside Society Nightclub on March 15.

Four other men, Tobijah Thompson, Hasham Ali, Ramez Murtaza and Zaker Khan, all from Birmingham, have already pleaded not guilty to the murder at a hearing at the court last month.

But the charge could not be put to 31-year-old Scott at that time because his lawyers were planning to make an application for the case against him to be dismissed.

However, his application was rejected by Judge Richard Griffith-Jones and Scott appeared via video link from prison after a mistake led to him not being taken to court.

Entering a not guilty plea, Scott also denied further charges of wounding Niall Kavanagh and Nigel Mkhwananzi with intent to cause them grievous bodily harm, violent disorder and assaulting a fourth alleged victim, Christopher O’Brien, causing him actual bodily harm.

The four other men – 25-year-old Thompson of no fixed address; 21-year-old Murtaza of Bordesley Green East, Bordesley Green;

25-year-old Khan of Belchers Lane, Small Heath; and 18-year-old Ali of Amberley Green, Great Barr – also denied those charges.

Tobijah Thompson, previously of Blakesley Way, Bordesley Green, also pleaded not guilty to possessing an offensive weapon – a knife – inside the Coventry nightclub.

Prosecutor Michael Burrows QC said there were CCTV recordings of events both inside and outside the nightclub – and that five different versions of the footage are being prepared to highlight the alleged movements of each of the five defendants.

Judge Griffith-Jones adjourned the case for trial, which is due to begin on January 12, 2016, possibly at Birmingham Crown Court in front of a High Court judge, and remanded Scott in custody until then.

Daniel Kirkwood trial: Judge orders that man accused of Coventry teenager's murder is not guilty

One of five men accused of murdering teenager Daniel Kirkwood at a Coventry nightclub has been cleared on the directions of the judge.

The 18-year-old died after suffering a fatal stab wound to his neck at Society nightclub, in Tower Street, in March last year.

The jury in the trial of five men accused of his murder was told that on the evidence they had heard, defendant Zaker Khan could not be guilty of Daniel’s murder.

He was also acquitted of being involved in wounding two of Daniel’s friends, Nigel Mkhwananzi and Niall Kavanagh, with intent to cause them grievous bodily harm.

Khan, 25, of Belcher’s Lane, Small Heath, Birmingham, is standing accused alongside four others at Warwick Crown Court.

After hearing evidence for around five weeks, the jury were told they were not required for some days while the judge, Mr Justice Mark Warby, and the barristers carried out what was referred to as ‘a stock-check’ of the case.

After hearing evidence for around five weeks, the jury were told they were not required for some days while the judge, Mr Justice Mark Warby, and the barristers carried out what was referred to as ‘a stock-check’ of the case.

One must seriously question the actions of the CPS if this is right.

Three of the accused admit violent disorder and assault

Three of the men accused of murdering Coventry teenager Daniel Kirkwood and seriously injuring three of his friends have pleaded guilty to some of the charges.

Hasham Ali, Ezra Scott and Ramez Murtaza are standing trial for the murder of 18-year-old Daniel, who suffered a fatal stab wound to his neck at Society nightclub in the city centre last year.

The trio had also been charged with two counts of wounding with intent, assault causing actual bodily harm and violent disorder.

And after a few days discussion between lawyers and the judge, Mr Justice Mark Warby, without the jury in court, the three men changed their pleas of not guilty to guilty on the charges of violent disorder at the nightclub in the early hours of March 15, 2015.
Story link Daniel Kirkwood trial: Judge orders that man accused of Coventry teenager's murder is not guilty

Murtaza, 21, of Bordesley Green East, Bordesley Green, also pleaded guilty to assaulting Daniel’s friend Christopher O’Brien.

Mr Justice Warby also instructed the jury that they are discharged from returning verdicts on those three defendants on the charges of murder and wounding two of Daniel’s other friends - Nigel Mkhwananzi and Niall Kavanagh.

The jury were also discharged from returning verdict on the assault charge for Ali, 19, of Amberley Green, Great Barr and Scott, 32, of Hawksyard Road, Erdington.

Plea-bargain deal done?

Man found guilty of murdering Coventry teenager Daniel Kirkwood

A jury has found Tobijah Thompson guilty of the murder of Coventry teenager Daniel Kirkwood by unanimous verdict.

The 25-year-old has also been found guilty of wounding Niall Kavanagh with intent, assaulting Christopher O'Brien, violent disorder in Society nightclub in Coventry and possessing a bladed artticle.

The verdict comes exactly one year to the day since Daniel's death.

The jury have also found Zaker Khan not guilty of assaulting Mr O'Brien at Warwick Crown Court.

The jury has been told it can return majority verdicts on Thompson on the charge of wounding Nigel Mkhwananzi with intent and Khan on violent disorder.

Daniel, 18, suffered a fatal stab wound to the neck at the nightclub in the early hours of March 15, 2015.

Tobijah Thompson sentenced to 32 years in prison for killing Coventry teenager



A 25-year-old man has been jailed after being found guilty of killing Coventry teenager Daniel Kirkwood who had ‘the world at his feet’.

Tobijah Thompson has been told by the presiding judge, Mr Justice Mark Warby, that he will have to serve a sentence of 32 years.

Unemployed Thompson, who lived between his sister’s home in Bearwood, Birmingham, and an address in Towpath Close, Bedworth, was found guilty of the murder of Daniel last month.

He was also found guilty of wounding Daniel’s friends Niall Kavanagh and Nigel Mkhwananzi with intent, assaulting Christopher O’Brien, violent disorder in Society nightclub in Coventry and possessing a bladed article.

The guilty verdict came on March 15 - exactly one year to the day since Daniel’s death.

Three other men have also been sentenced after pleading guilty to manslaughter and violent disorder during the trial.

Ramez Murtaza, 21 of Bordesley Green East, Bordesley Green, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and to violent disorder after threatening the group with a broken bottle and grappling with another of Daniel’s friends, leaving him injured.

He was given a sentence of eight years.

Hasham Ali, 19, of Amberley Green, Great Barr, and Ezra Scott, 22, of Hawksyard Road, Erdington, pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

Ali received 29 months in a young offenders institute. Scott was handed a 28-month jail term.

Mum of murdered teen wants nightclub where he was killed to be bulldozed



The family of murdered teenager Daniel Kirkwood want to see the city centre club where he was stabbed to death torn to the ground.

The 18-year-old and his friends were brutally attacked inside Society nightclub in March 2015 and Daniel died of his injuries having been stabbed in the neck.

And his loved ones say the empty building is a “constant reminder” of what happened to the popular teenager.

The venue has been placed on the market once again for a new potential buyer take over the premises - but they will not be allowed to reopen it as a nightclub.

However, this doesn’t go far enough for Daniel’s heartbroken family who will not be content until the former club in Tower Street has been bulldozed to the floor.

Daniel’s mum Pauline told the Telegraph: “The club is a constant painful reminder of Daniel. I always avoid going anywhere near it because it sends shivers down my spine and takes me back to day one.

“Even when I just see a picture of the place it haunts me.

“I speak for all my family when I say we all want it knocked down. There has been no interest in the place for two years and a lot of disturbing incidents have happened at that place and it is now just an eyesore - a blot on Coventry’s landscape.

“If someone does finally decide to take it on, I will in touch with the planning committee at every stage.

“I am now Daniel’s voice.”

Daniel’s killer, Tobijah Thompson, was jailed for life at Warwick Crown Court last year and will serve a minimum of 32 years.

The leasehold of the former Society premises is now for sale for £90,000 through estate agents Shortland Penn + Moore.

One of the conditions is that the 18,500sq ft building cannot be re-opened as a nightclub, but suggested uses include a gym, sports hall, theatre or casino.

Nightclub where teenager Daniel Kirkwood murdered to be transformed



The city centre nightclub where teenager Daniel Kirkwood was stabbed to death is to be transformed.

Society has now been bought, and will be transformed into an E-Sports bar entertainment centre with karaoke private rooms.

The club in Tower Street was on the market for £90,000 - although it cannot be used by its next owner as a nightclub.

Michael Ramus Architects has written a letter on the planning application for the sports bar - which has been approved.

It does state that the sports bar is a membership only club and needs to be pre-booked, and the groups of people in there will be individually catered for.

They have made it clear there will be no gambling or fruit machines.

The architect has stated on their statement that the bar will be open seven days a week.

Sunday to Thursday it will open at 12pm and close at 2am.

However, on a Friday and Saturday, it will still open at 12pm but close at 6am.