Posted on 10/19/2005 7:58:50 AM PDT by Millee
Three girls who were found guilty of the manslaughter of a 15-year-old girl have been locked up for two years by a judge at Leeds Crown Court.
Aimee Wellock died near her home in Bradford after she was attacked by the group on 7 June.
Claire Carey, 18, was given two years youth detention for the attack and two years for affray to run concurrently.
Her co-defendants, who cannot be named, were given two years for manslaughter and 18 months concurrent for affray.
After the hearing Aimee's parents criticised the length of the sentences, saying they should have been longer.
Passing sentence the judge, Mr Justice Field, said: "I am acutely aware no sentence I pass will restore Aimee to her family or assuage their grief or acute sense of loss."
There needs to be deterrents to protect the public and in this day and age...we hear all too often of unprovoked attacks Alan Wellock, Aimee's father
He told Carey he was treating her as a "dangerous offender" and said that she had to serve a minimum of two years in custody, but her release after this time was not guaranteed.
She was "the principal participant" in the assault on Aimee, the judge said.
He told the other two girls that despite not treating them as dangerous offenders in the eyes of the law, he nevertheless would impose two year detention and training orders in both cases.
He told the younger of the pair: "None of that violence had any justification at all."
'No justification'
As well as being convicted for manslaughter all three were either found guilty or pleaded guilty to a count of affray and were given sentences to run concurrently with those for the manslaughter charges.
Aimee's father, Alan Wellock, said: "We feel that they should be certainly greater than, you know, two, three, four years.
"In this situation, there are no winners, but there needs to be deterrents to protect the public and in this day and age, you know, we hear all too often of unprovoked attacks.
It just upsets me so much to think that they've done this. Jackie Wellock, Aimee's mother
"Children need to be able to go round to the corner shop and buy sweets and pensioners need to be able to walk unthreatened to go and collect a pension or do a little bit of shopping."
Aimee's mother, Jackie Wellock, said her daughter was the most precious thing in their lives.
"She had so many things that she had to overcome in her young life and she was just getting there," she said.
"We're a close family but all of a sudden she's not there anymore. It just upsets me so much to think that they've done this.
"It's almost they don't care that they've done it."
Here's some background on the case for those getting to the story late, like myself. (from the news telegraph)
Schoolgirl dies yards from home after clash between groups of teenagers
By Paul Stokes
(Filed: 09/06/2005)
A schoolgirl died in front of her mother after a fight between two groups of teenagers in a field yards from her home.
Aimee Wellock, 15, a keen dancer, had been enjoying an evening outdoors with friends when she was caught up in the confrontation before collapsing unconscious.
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Her mother Jackie, 46, rushed to the field at the rear of their large detached house and screamed "Oh come on Aimee, come on", as paramedics made vain attempts to revive her daughter. Aimee was later pronounced dead at hospital.
A boy of 15 and three girls aged 15, 17 and 19 were arrested and detained for questioning in connection with the incident, which police were treating as a "suspicious death".
Aimee, whose father Alan is the director of a graphics company, lived in a tree-lined avenue in Allerton, Bradford, West Yorks. All four arrested teenagers are understood to be from a council estate less than half a mile away.
A post mortem examination to establish the cause of death proved inconclusive and further tests are being carried out. But it revealed that Aimee was suffering from "a serious medical condition", possibly involving her heart.
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Detectives are trying to establish what part the "physical altercation" may have played in her death.
Aimee's parents and her 19-year-old brother James, a university student, said in a statement: "We are feeling absolutely devastated and at a complete loss.
"Aimee was a typical teenager, full of life and vitality. She loved dancing and attended classes since the age of eight. She was due to start her GCSEs in September and after that she wanted to go to dance college."
Neighbours suggested that Aimee may have been assaulted after refusing a demand for a cigarette at around 8.20pm on Tuesday.
The incident took place on an area of open land known as Chellow Dene, which is popular with youngsters. Locals have complained about youths racing around on motorcycles.
Rubina Nadeem, 41, a community psychiatric nurse and neighbour, had known Aimee for seven years. She had just returned home and went to see what was happening after seeing ambulances and police cars at the scene.
"As I was running towards it, I saw Aimee was on the ground lying on her back," Mrs Nadeem said. "There were people trying to resuscitate her. Her mum was screaming hysterically.
"As a nurse I tried to reassure her, but she said: 'She's not breathing.' I just held her, but I knew it was too late."
A steady flow of young people left floral tributes alongside an area cordoned off by police at the approach to the field, which is visible from the rear of Aimee's home.
Among them was Sarah Pekovic, 15, a fellow pupil at Parkside School, Cullingworth. She said: "She was a hard-working, lively and funny girl.
"She was popular and had lots of friends around here. I don't believe she would put up any fight. She would walk away from situations like this."
Dr Tony Rickwood, the headmaster of Parkside School, said they were doing all they could to offer support to the students and staff.
He added: "We are very sad at the news and our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends."
Steve Stamworth, whose daughter is a friend of Aimee's, described her as a "lovely girl". He said: "Aimee loved being outdoors. She used to walk up and down with her friends and they would go into Chellow Dene for a chat. She was a good girl and this is a tragedy."
Owl_Eagle
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
it was probably sarcasm)
council estate = public housing.
My first thought was, Two years for beating a young girl to death?!
Then I did some searching for the story myself, and none of the articles gave very specific details. Was she punched? Hit? Pushed? Beaten? No one is saying. In any case, it seems like the 18 year old should've received a stronger sentence for her part in it.
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