COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

The victim is believed to be in his teens after body was found in Wood End



Police have launched a murder probe after a body was found in Coventry.

A West Midlands Police investigation has begun after the body was discovered in grassland this evening, February 5.

While it is too early to identify the victim, police have confirmed the man was found on Petitor Crescent, Wood End.

A police spokesperson said: "We’ve launched a murder enquiry after a body was found this evening on grassland in Coventry.

"A member of the public out walking at around 7pm came across a young man collapsed off Petitor Crescent, Wood End, and alerted the emergency services.

Paramedics discovered the victim - believed to be in his teens - had suffered multiple stab wounds to his torso and was declared dead at the scene.

Detectives have sealed off the scene for a fingertip search and forensic examination.

Enquiries are underway to identify the body and understand what led up to the killing.

Police said: "We're appealing for anyone who was in the Petitor Crescent area of Wood End this afternoon or early evening and saw anything suspicious, a disorder, or people running from the scene to get in touch as they could hold important information.

"If anyone was driving through the area and has dash-cam footage then we’d also ask them to get in touch on 101 or message us on Live Chat via the website quoting log 2263 from February 5.

"Or information can be passed anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111."

Babacar Diagne death: Murder arrest over Coventry stabbing



A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a 15-year-old boy who was stabbed in Coventry.

Babacar Diagne was found on grassland off Petitor Crescent, Wood End, at about 19:00 GMT on Wednesday.

A post-mortem examination showed he had been stabbed multiple times.

A 15-year-old was arrested in the Canley area of the city on suspicion of murder and five others are in custody on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Police believe Babacar was attacked by three males who arrived at the scene on bikes.

The arrests come after a vigil was held in Babacar's memory at a community centre in Radford on Thursday night.

Third teen arrested on suspicion of murder

Detectives have arrested a third teenager on suspicion of murder following the death of Babacar Diagne.

The 17-year-old was arrested shortly before 10am today and remains in police custody.

It brings the total number now arrested as part of the murder investigation to 11.

Two other teenagers, both 15-year-old boys, also remain in police custody today after detectives were granted court extensions for further questioning yesterday.

A 15-year-old girl, arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder, also remains in custody today following her arrest over the weekend.

Police were given an additional 12 hours to question her.

Babacar Diagne: Three teenagers guilty of Coventry murder

Three teenagers have been found guilty of murdering a 15-year-old boy who was "in the wrong place at the wrong time," police said.

Babacar Diagne was found collapsed on grassland in Coventry in February. He had been stabbed a number of times.

A 17-year-old youth and two 16-year-olds, all male, were found guilty of murder at Coventry Crown Court.

The killers had not spoken to Babacar before the attack and there remains "no clear motive" for it, police said.

The youths, who cannot be named because of their ages, will be sentenced on Thursday.

Babacar Diagne: Three teenagers jailed for Coventry murder

Three teenagers have been jailed for murdering a boy they did not know in a "barbaric" attack.

Babacar Diagne was stabbed almost 20 times, police said.

The motive for the attack in Coventry in February was not known, they added, saying the 15-year-old was simply "in the wrong place at the wrong time".

Two 16-year-old boys and a third, aged 17, were unanimously found guilty earlier in the week and on Thursday were each jailed for at least 16 years.

Due to their ages, the boys cannot be named, despite an appeal from the press.

Speaking after the verdicts were announced at Coventry Crown Court, West Midlands Police said Babacar had met up with friends on the evening of 5 February in Riley Square, Wood End.

The force said he became concerned by one of the defendants, then 15, staring at them and circling on a bike.

The defendant collected two friends, it added, before the group cycled out to attack Babacar.

There was "no bad blood" between them, Det Ch Insp Scott Griffiths said, adding that Babacar was "new to Coventry... in a part of the city where his face wasn't known and a stray glance has quickly escalated to murder."