Yousef Makki: Family's plea for full inquest
The family of a 17-year-old student who was knifed in the heart believe matters surrounding his death "have not been sufficiently aired".
Yousef Makki was stabbed by Joshua Molnar with a flick knife in Hale Barns, Greater Manchester, in March. At Stockport Coroner's Court, his family urged Alison Mutch to proceed with a full inquest. Ms Mutch, senior coroner for south Manchester, must now decide if such a hearing will take place. Yousef, a scholarship pupil at Manchester Grammar School, died in a fight with his friend Molnar. Molnar was cleared of murder and manslaughter after the jury accepted that he acted in self-defence, but was detained for eight months after he admitted possessing a knife and perverting the course of justice. 'False premise' He was named in October after a judge lifted an order protecting his anonymity. A second defendant, who still cannot be named, was acquitted of perverting the course of justice but admitted possession of a flick knife and was given a four-month detention order. Representing Yousef's family at the pre-inquest hearing, Matthew Stanbury said matters surrounding the teenager's death had "not been sufficiently aired", despite the murder trial. He also said some matters heard by the jury were "presented on a false premise". "That on its own is a striking matter in terms of finding whether the criminal trial provided an accurate airing of matters surrounding the stabbing of Yousef," added Mr Stanbury. Greater Manchester Police and Cheshire Police have referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over the case. Amy Caves, representing Cheshire Police, said the force was concerned with "ongoing criminal investigations" involving "two robberies and an assault" but no further details were made public during the hearing. Ms Mutch adjourned proceedings ahead of a further pre-inquest hearing later this year.