Man jailed for killing teenager in brutal dog and knife attack
Crisdian Johnson was sentenced to life in prison
Friday, 19, Mar 2010 02:38
By Richard James.
A 22-year-old man who ordered dogs to attack a teenage boy before he stabbed him to death has been sentenced to serve a minimum of 24 years in prison.
At the Old Bailey on Thursday Crisdian Johnson, from south-west London, was convicted of killing Oluwaseyi 'Seyi' Ogunyemi in a brutal attack in April 2009.
And this afternoon he was sentenced to life behind bars.
The case was described as unique due to the fact dangerous dogs were had been used as weapons in the attack. Johnson is said to have unleashed the dogs in Larkhall Park to chase, bring down and savage Seyi.
Prosecutors in the case quoted eyewitnesses as claiming the teenager and a 17-year-old friend were then attacked by a gang of youths who acted like a "pack of animals".
The court also heard how the 16-year-old suffered six stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene, while his friend also received nine stab wounds but fortunately survived.
The case involved new techniques to analyse canine DNA for the first time and comes just a week after home secretary Alan Johnson announced plans to introduce compulsory insurance and micro-chipping to combat the growing problem of dangerous dogs.
Speaking after the verdict yesterday, Detective Inspector Mick Norman from the Metropolitan police said: "This horrific attack was committed on a very slight teenage boy who stood no chance of defending himself.
"The fact that Crisdian Johnson also ordered dogs to take part in the attack illustrates his sickening attitude to violence.
"The advances in dog DNA and forensic work now mean that anyone who owns a dog and uses it to attack people can be identified and prosecuted."