Ten youths, aged between 15 and 18, were jailed for life at Newcastle Crown Court last week after a jury found them all guilty of murdering Jack, in Houghton-le-Spring last year. The court heard how the 18-year-old victim was surrounded by the violent mob who punched and stamped on him before stabbing him in the back. Read more: Jack Woodley stabbing: Nine teens appeal murder convictions A teenager, aged 15, admitted to delivering the fatal blow. But all 10, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were convicted of murder after the prosecution said they worked together to isolate and attack Jack, who was from Newton Aycliffe. Jack Woodley The Chronicle revealed last week how nine of the teenagers had appealed their convictions. And their families have gathered to voice their dismay at the verdicts. In a statement they said they will fight to clear their children’s names for the rest of their lives. Police presence outside Newcastle Crown Court as Jack Woodley’s killers are sentenced (Image: Newcastle Chronicle) They said: “We are the families of the nine young children who have been convicted of the conspiracy to murder Jack Woodley. “We are all incredibly mindful of the life that was lost that night, but we all know that none of our children intended for Jack to die, let alone give him the fatal blow. “None of our children have a criminal record. None of them were carrying knives, and they weren’t carrying a knife the night Jack Woodley was fatally stabbed. Jack Woodley, who was murdered in Houghton-le-Spring (Image: Handout) “Our children have been sentenced to life for a murder they did not commit. We will spend the rest of our lives fighting for our children and our children will spend the rest of their lives maintaining their innocence. “The courts have replaced one tragedy with another.” Convicted of murder, the teenagers were all given mandatory life sentences on Friday. Flowers and heartbreaking messages outside The Britannia Pub in Houghton-le-Spring where 18-year-old Jack Woodley was murdered (Image: Craig Connor/ChronicleLive) However, Judge Rodney Jameson ruled that the young killers would have to serve minimum terms inside. The youth found to have used the knife said he must serve 17 years before being considered for parole. While the other nine were given minimum sentences ranging from eight to 15 years. Flowers and heartbreaking messages outside The Britannia Pub in Houghton-le-Spring where 18-year-old Jack Woodley was murdered (Image: Craig Connor/ChronicleLive) At the start of the case, Judge Jameson placed reporting restrictions on the case, barring publication of the identity of all 10 defendants. And their families have now claimed this prevented the public from learning the “true reality” of what happened on the night Jack was killed. “We, like the rest of the public, are deeply saddened by Jack’s passing,” they said. Read more related articles Read more related articles “We believe that if the public wants to be angry about the loss of a young man’s life, it is justified. However, the anger should also be directed at the fact that ten people were convicted and of those ten only one person killed Jack Woodley, only one person carried a knife; only one person engaged in serious violence against Jack. “It’s time for the public to know what really happened, but because of the restrictions put in place by the judge, there is a real possibility that the public will never know the true reality of what happened that night, our children were silenced and now face a complete injustice. “ But the detective leading the murder investigation said if the teenagers had not worked together to attack Jack, he might not have been stabbed. Det Insp Joanne Brooks of Northumbria Police (Image: Newcastle Chronle) Northumbria Police Chief Constable Joanne Brooks said: “Each of these guys chose to go with their friends, with their partners and attack Jack, so they worked together and if they hadn’t done that, Jack would have he had been stabbed. Would the opportunity come to stab him? They worked together and knew there was a knife. “There was definite knowledge, so they were working together, they knew what each other was doing, they knew there were weapons in there and they chose, at that moment, they chose to go engage together and create an opportunity where Jack had no chance.” The case is believed to be one of the first times 10 defendants have been found guilty of one murder. Read more related articles Read more related articles JENGbA (Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association), a group campaigning on behalf of those convicted under the controversial Joint Enterprise Act, is supporting the families of the accused. Jan Cunliffe from the team said: “This case is very unique, that all 10 have been convicted of murder when only one was holding a knife. As far as I know, that has never happened. And they are all so young.” And the families added: “We never thought this could happen, that children who don’t commit murder could be convicted of murder. Why nine children have to serve life in prison for a murder they didn’t commit – that’s not justice. “ “Joint Enterprise is a bad law that continues to ruin innocent lives.” Read next: ‘He’s an animal’: Murderer Stephen Rice’s ex-girlfriend convinced her he had changed before terror attack ‘I haven’t seen it in this country’ – Jack Woodley’s murder is the first of its kind, says crime expert ‘It’s disgusting’: Mom’s fury after hit-and-run drug driver who harmed son freed by court Going nowhere: Serial County Durham rapist Stephen Crawford refused parole ‘Starts like a fairy tale but ends in a nightmare’: Stalking victim’s controlling partner ruined her life
