CHARGED WITH MURDER, SON WHO STABBED HOUSE RAIDER
Burglar Tyler Juett died of his wounds
Wednesday October 28,2009
By David Pilditch
A SON hailed a hero for tackling two teenage burglars, stabbing one of them to death, was charged with murder yesterday.
Omari Roberts, 23, was widely praised after tackling Tyler Juett, 17, and a 14-year-old accomplice when he caught them breaking into his mother’s home.
He chased the 14-year-old off, then returned to the house to find Juett still there. They scuffled and Juett suffered a six-inch stab wound that severed vital arteries.
Juett was rushed to hospital but later died from his injuries.
Websites which were set up in his memory were swamped with messages backing the right of householders to protect their property.
But yesterday Roberts appeared in court accused of murdering Juett and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The burglary was at the home of foster carer Jacqueline McKenzie-Johnson in Old Basford, Nottingham in March.
Neighbours living near the scene of the killing claimed the area had suffered a number of burglaries and householders were “on edge”.
Yesterday Roberts listened intently as Nottingham magistrates heard how he first discovered the 14-year-old inside his mother’s house.
Lee Shepherd, prosecuting, said Roberts chased the youngster down the street before returning to the property to find himself confronted by Juett.
District Judge John Stobart said he was taking the “rare decision” to continue to grant bail because of Roberts’ flawless record of reporting for bail since March.
But he agreed to remand him in custody at least until today after the prosecution said it wanted to appeal against the decision. Outside court Mrs McKenzie-Johnson, 46, a manager at Nottingham City Council, questioned the CPS’s decision to prosecute her son.
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She said: “It’s a surprise when you look at the basic facts, because a murder charge means intent. Where was the intent in this case?”
Before the hearing prosecutions lawyer Ian Cunningham said guidelines made clear anyone using “reasonable force” to defend themselves would “enjoy the full protection of the law”.
He added: “However, the law also makes clear that people could be prosecuted if they act with excessive and gratuitous force.”
Juett’s accomplice, who cannot be identified, was sentenced to two years’ detention in May.
