South London: Mother and son guilty over machete attack on 17-year-old boy

A mother and son have been found guilty of killing a 17-year-old boy in a machete attack.

Nichola Leighton became “furious” after Levi Ernest-Morrison and his friends kept knocking on her door looking for her son Tyreese Ulysses.

When 19-year-old Ulysses learned they were “bothering” his mother, he rallied friends, all armed with knives, jurors were told.

They jumped out of Leighton’s “distinctive” red Suzuki 4×4 jeep and some of the group chased Levi and one of his friends.

Levi was caught and fatally stabbed on the evening of April 10.

Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones QC had said the attack in Sydenham, south London, took just 30 seconds.

Afterwards, the attackers sprinted back to the waiting car which sped away, driven by Leighton.

Mr Emlyn Jones said: “That evening, when Levi and the others came knocking on her door, Nichola Leighton was furious.

“She rang the police about it and told the police that if the boys came back, she was going to batter them.

“But before she had phoned the police, she contacted with her son Tyreese Ulysses.

“The prosecution say that having heard from his mum that Levi and his friends had come round to his mum’s house and were bothering her, he then rallied the troops.”

Leighton admitted driving the boys to the scene but denied being aware they were armed, while her son claimed they only wanted to scare off the gang.

Leighton, of Sydenham, was found guilty of murder and having an offensive weapon.

Ulysses, from Catford, south London, who admitted having a weapon, was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter by a majority of 10 to two after a jury deliberated for more than 40 hours.

Two youths, aged 16 and 17, who had also admitted having weapons, were unanimously convicted of murder.

The defendants were remanded into custody to be sentenced on January 28 next year.

The jury was discharged after failing to reach a verdict on a charge of murder relating to another youth, aged 15.