Liam Taylor death: Two men convicted of Writtle murder

Two men have been found guilty of murdering a teenager who was stabbed to death outside a village pub.

Liam Taylor, 19, died and another man was injured in an attack outside the Rose and Crown in Writtle, Essex, on 31 January 2020.

Ryan Filby, 21 of Evelyn Park, Chelmsford, and Daniel Daden, 20, formerly of Witham, were convicted of murder and wounding with intent.

They will be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court next month.

At the conclusion of the trial on Wednesday, the prosecution requested other charges faced by the pair - attempted murder and wounding without intent - should lie on file.

A third man, Connor Smith, 19, of Springfield Park Avenue, Chelmsford, was found not guilty of murder and wounding with intent.

Further charges of attempted murder and wounding without intent will lie on file.

Mr Taylor and his 19-year-old friend were smoking outside the pub when a group of men jumped out of a car and attacked them, police said.

Mr Taylor died at the scene from multiple stab wounds and his friend needed surgery for a stab wound to his leg.

Essex Police said the court was told during the trial that the attack was in retaliation to an incident earlier that evening in which Filby had been beaten by two people with a pole outside his home, but neither Mr Taylor nor his friend had been involved.

Det Ch Insp Stephen Jennings, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: "Liam Taylor and his friend had no way of defending themselves against such a violent assault, which was borne out of retribution for an attack that neither of them were involved in.

"It was a horrific assault that will have a lasting impact on Liam's family, his friend, and all those who witnessed what happened that night."

In a statement released through Essex Police, Mr Taylor's grandmother, Julie Taylor, said her grandson had been incredibly close to his mother, and "a huge part of her was taken when they took his life".

"Her world collapsed and part of her died that night," she said.

"Fish, as we called him, wasn't just a son, he was his mother's soul mate and best friend, a protective big brother to Lewis and his little sister Lilly."

His grandmother said having to "endure" the details of the attack during the trial had been "worse than a horror film".

"No mother, grandmother, brother, sister or family member should ever have to deal with this," she said.

"We all loved him in life and in death we love him still. He will never be forgotten.

"We love you, our beautiful angel."

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