Two teenagers have been sentenced for the manslaughter of 15-year-old Isaac Brown, who was fatally stabbed in West Bromwich last year following a confrontation linked to an earlier robbery.
Isaac was attacked and killed in New Square just after 9pm on 7 April 2024, after a dispute between two groups of teenagers escalated violently. CCTV captured the fatal incident in which Isaac was stabbed in the chest during a disorder involving weapons.
Reehan Nezir, now 18, of Edith Road, Smethwick, has been sentenced to nine years in prison. A 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, received four years and six months in a young offender institution. Both had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter, robbery, and possession of an offensive weapon.
Earlier that day, around 6.30pm, the two defendants were involved in the robbery of a 12-year-old boy in Smethwick, during which the victim was assaulted and had his jacket stolen. Isaac, who knew the young robbery victim through a friend, began sharing messages on social media to identify those responsible.
This led to further online exchanges between Isaac and the defendants, including threatening messages from Nezir such as “Do you know who I am?” and “I’ll teach you a lesson.”
Later that evening, Isaac and two friends arranged to meet Nezir and the 14-year-old in West Bromwich. Upon arrival, they were confronted by a group armed with weapons. Isaac and his friends attempted to flee but were pursued into New Square, where the fatal confrontation took place.
Both Nezir and the 14-year-old fled the scene but were arrested the following day.
Chief Superintendent Kim Madill, knife crime lead for West Midlands Police, said:
“Isaac was just 15 years old and had his future to look forward to – but tragically, that was cut short. Knife crime is a priority for us, and we are doing all we can to educate young people about the dangers of carrying a knife.”
As part of their ongoing prevention work, police have been visiting local schools, including Isaac’s former school, Wodensborough Ormiston Academy, to deliver knife crime awareness sessions. These workshops allow pupils to explore the consequences of carrying weapons and the realities of violent crime.
Chief Superintendent Madill added:
“We are listening to families affected by knife crime and acting on their feedback to see what more we can do. Our responsibility is to work together with partners to understand why young people carry weapons and take further action to stop this extremely dangerous behaviour.”
The force’s education programme is supported by the Guardian Taskforce, which has expanded significantly over the past five years and contributed to a reduction in knife crime across the West Midlands.
West Midlands Police continue to urge young people to think about the devastating consequences of carrying weapons—and are working closely with communities to make streets safer for all.