Parents of nine teenagers convicted of killing Jack Woodley are campaigning to 'prove their innocence.'

Ten boys, aged between 15 and 18, were given life sentences at Newcastle Crown Court last week after a jury found them all guilty of murder.

Eighteen-year-old Jack, from Newton Aycliffe, died a day after he was attacked as he left the Houghton Feast in October last year.

Read more: This is what happened in court as Jack Woodley's 10 killers were thrown in jail

He was surrounded by a group of youths who punched, kicked and stamped on him before he was knifed in the back.

A 15-year-old boy admitted the stabbing but all ten, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were convicted of murder under joint enterprise legislation.

In a statement, their families have reportedly said they would fight to clear their children's names.

They said: "All of us are incredibly mindful of the life that was lost that night, but all of us know that none of our children intended that Jack die, let alone inflict the fatal blow.

"None of our children have criminal records.

“None of them carry knives, and they did not carry a knife the night that Jack Woodley was fatally stabbed.

"Our children have been given life sentences for a murder they did not commit.

“We will spend the rest of our lives fighting for our children, and our children will spend the rest of their lives maintaining their innocence.

"The courts replaced one tragedy with another."

The teenagers were given mandatory life sentences, on Friday but Judge Rodney Jameson said they would serve difference minimum terms.

The youth who used the knife was told he must serve 17 years before he can be considered for parole.

The other nine were given minimum tariffs ranging from eight to 15 years.

JENGbA (Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association), a group which campaigns on behalf of those convicted under Joint Enterprise law, is supporting the families of the defendants.

Spokeswoman Gloria Morrison said: “It is a really bizarre case.

“There is more to this than meets the eye. Joint enterprise is a hugely overused drag net that is being used to catch the small fry.

“These children have now gone to prison for a long period of time.

“It is not fair and it does make any sense.”

The detective in charge of the investigation said that had the teens not worked together to attack Jack he might not have been stabbed.

Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Brooks, of Northumbria Police, said: “A life has been taken and countless more destroyed.

“There are no winners where knife crime or serious violence is concerned.”

Speaking after the sentencing, Andrea Milsom, senior crown prosecutor with CPS North East, said each defendant played a part in the murder.

She said: “It is clear from the evidence in this case that the group attended the Houghton Feast with a shared intent to kill or, at the very least, to seriously injure someone.

“The type of combat knife that they procured in advance and used in their attack has only one purpose, which is to inflict serious or fatal injuries.

“This was not a spontaneous altercation in which a weapon just happened to be pulled, this attack was premeditated and organised.

“All our thoughts remain with Jack’s parents, who have bravely spoken of the devastating effect that his death continues to have on their family.”

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