The “dangerous” teenager who stabbed Canonbury student Stefan Appleton to death with a fearsome “Zombie Killer” knife has been jailed for life with a minimum term of nine years at the Old Bailey.

Blaise Lewinson, 17, from Highbury, was today (Friday) handed a discretionary life sentence for the killing of 17-year-old Marquess estate resident Stefan in June of last year. Lewinson was not publicly named until today’s hearing because of his age but Judge Richard Hone QC ruled his identity should be known to set a deterrent.

“There is in this case, because of the nature of the weapon, a public interest in deterrence,” the judge said. “It is important individuals who commit top-of-the-range offences should be named and the public should know their identity.”

Wearing a hood and balaclava, Lewinson used the machete-type weapon to attack Stefan, stabbing him through the heart just yards away from a playground in Nightingale Park, Canonbury on June 10 last year. The attack occurred in broad daylight in front of children and their parents.

He was convicted of manslaughter but cleared of murder last month – a decision described as “devastating” by Stefan’s family. Lewinson admitted stabbing the victim but claimed he did so in self-defence. While this was not accepted by the jury, they did not believe he had intended to kill Stefan.

However, in his sentencing remarks Judge Hone described the teenager as “dangerous”.

“You pose a high risk of violent and psychological harm to your peers and there’s a high risk that you will re-offend,” he said. “It’s my conclusion that you are a dangerous offender and there are worrying features about your behaviour in custody.

“They [the jury] could only be sure that you intended to do some harm, less than really serious harm, with that fearsome ‘Zombie Killer’ knife you took to Nightingale Park. But this case must be placed at the very top of manslaughter sentences.”

Since being imprisoned, Lewinson had been involved in fights with inmates and “thrown liquid” at prison guards, Judge Hone said, adding: “You have shown no true remorse.”

Former St Mary Magdalene school pupil Stefan was one of four Islington teenagers to fall victim to knives last year.

He had been in the park with friends when Lewinson and an associate – who was acquitted of Stefan’s murder – drove to Nightingale Park on a stolen Piaggo moped. Lewinson chased Stefan down an alley and stabbed him twice in the park.

Following the stabbing, the pair left the moped in a quiet road and arranged for others to burn it. They burned the clothes they had been wearing and left a helmet that would not catch fire with a friend.

They fled to Bristol and tried to book flights to Malaga, but did not succeed in doing so, before returning to London two days later. Each was arrested within days at different hide-out addresses, the court heard.

Stefan’s family were not present in court. But in a statement given to the judge, Stefan’s mother Jenny said: “This was a senseless act that took the life of our precious son. A light has gone out in our lives.

“Stefan was our much-loved and loving son. His smile lit up everyone’s lives, his humour brought joy to our lives and his affectionate nature brought so much happiness and love to all those he knew and met.

“We want Stefan’s voice to be heard and we want the court to understand the true weight of this loss, not only to us but the wider community.”

Lewinson, dressed in a white, long-sleeved shirt, showed no emotion as he was sentenced.

He will remain on licence for the rest of his life.

• Keywords
  KNIFE CRIME, MURDER, IMPRISONMENT
• Geographical keyword
  NIGHTINGALE PARK
• Persons keyword
  Stefan Appleton, Blaise Lewinson