Man jailed for life for murder of Nathan Somers
A 28-year-old man has been jailed for life after being convicted of the murder of Newark teenager Nathan Somers.
Jemelle Rodney, of Thornville Grove, Mitcham, Surrey, was told he would serve a minimum of 20 years.
He was found guilty today (Wednesday October 30) on an 11-1 majority verdict following a trial at Nottingham Crown Court.
Reuben Edwards, 19, and a 17-year-old youth were found not guilty of both murder and manslaughter.
Mr Edwards, of Gardendale Avenue, Clifton, was also cleared of a charge of affray and having an offensive weapon. He walked free from court.
The 17-year-old was found not guilty of affray, but guilty of having an offensive weapon.
An 18-year-old was found guilty of affray but not guilty of having an offensive weapon or perverting the course of justice.
They will be sentenced at a later date.
Nathan, 19, of Bowbridge Road, died at an outdoor party at Devil's Wood, Beacon Hill, Newark, on August 31, 2012. He was stabbed once by Jemelle Rodney and the knife penetrated his heart.
Detective Chief Inspector Rob Griffin, who led the case for Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Jemelle Rodney was much older than the other people at the party. He went anyway.
"But instead of setting a good example to his younger friends he displayed characteristics totally at odds with that of a positive role model.
“While others were out to enjoy themselves peacefully, the 17-year-old felt the need to take a knife with him. Jemelle Rodney went one step further and used it.
“It is beyond me why anyone would ever want to take a knife to a party. It is only ever going to end in tragedy, which is exactly what happened on this night.
“We have got to change the mindset of anyone who thinks that taking a knife out with them can ever be acceptable. It isn’t.
"In one spontaneous moment a knife was there to reach for and as a result a family is now missing a son and brother.
“The simple fact is had that knife not been taken to the party Nathan Somers would still be alive today.”
