Posted by By Nick Frame
Published 6th Jan 2025, 15:00 GMT
Four suspects wanted over a Leeds drug-turf murder were arrested in Ireland days later, but then released.
Three of the men wanted in connection with the brutal Armley slaying of 18-year-old Jeamie Meah in 2023 remain at large.
The remaining suspect, Ranei Wilks, gave himself up to the authorities after a year on the run, and is standing trial this week at Leeds Crown Court .During the Crown’s opening of the case this morning, Imran Shafi KC said that Mr Meah and a 16-year-old boy – Kyne Priestley who is now 18 – were dragged from a taxi and brutally punched, kicked and stabbed with a sword shortly before 5.30pm on March 31, 2023.
They four suspects were later identified but had already fled the country, travelling on a ferry from Fishguard in Wales to Rosslare in the Republic of Ireland. He said they used false names.They were arrested by the Irish police – The Garda – for a petty theft on May 4, 2023, but the matter was not pursued.
Incredibly, they were released without the Garda having any knowledge that all four were wanted for murder. Wilks, 23, only gave himself up in April 2024 when he landed at Leeds Bradford Airport on a flight from Turkey.The others – Aquade Jeffers, Caleb Awe and Enham Nishat – are still yet to be arrested. It is thought they are all living in hiding abroad.
The jury heard that Mr Meah and Mr Priestley had worked for a rival gang selling drugs in the Leeds area.
On March 31, 2023, Mr Meah was with his friend Mr Priestley, in a taxi, delivering drugs around Armley.hortly before 5.30pm, the Mr Priestley got out of the taxi to approach known customers, but then noticed a silver Mercedes parked up, so ran back to the taxi.
Three males then got out of the Mercedes, one with the sword, while the driver remained behind the wheel.
The taxi driver heard one of the passengers shout “don’t stab me” before they were both dragged out and stabbed, kicked and punched repeatedly .After the gang fled, Mr Meah was able to stagger to a property on Brentwood Street and told the occupier that he needed an ambulance.He collapsed unconscious moments later. Despite attempts to resuscitate him, he passed away.
It was later found that a stab wound to his leg had severed the femoral artery, causing catastrophic haemorrhaging and led to his death.
Mr Priestley was able to flee to a nearby fish and chip shop. Despite having multiple lacerations, his injuries were not life threatening.
The Mercedes – a hired car – was found abandoned in Bradford days after the murder. Finger prints from the suspects were found inside the vehicle.The taxi driver later gave statements to the police saying it was Wilks who was wielding the sword during the attack.
Wilks, of no fixed address, denies murder, attempted murder and two counts of possessing a bladed article.
One bladed article charge relates to the murder, with the second from July 2022 when he was in the passenger seat of a car where a large knife was found.
The trial continues and is expected to last two weeks.
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