Soldier on leave 'shot by mugger'

[big bad john]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_midlands/4663746.stm

Soldier on leave 'shot by mugger' 

Narel Sharpe had served in Kosovo and Iraq
A soldier shot dead just hours after arriving back in the UK on leave was probably killed because he fought back against a mugger, a jury has heard.
Narel Sharpe had returned to Smethwick, West Midlands in September 2004 for his 21st birthday and his mother's 40th.

Levi Walker, 26, from Edgbaston, Birmingham, denies murder.

Chervaun Whitehouse, 21, of Smethwick and a 16-year-old boy deny perverting the course of justice by helping to dispose of a pistol.

The boy is also charged with possessing a banned firearm.

Phone box

Stafford Crown Court heard Mr Sharpe, a member of the Queen's Royal Hussars who had served in Iraq and Kosovo, was travelling back from Germany where he was based.

He stopped to use a phone box in Oldbury Road, Smethwick, where he was allegedly approached by Mr Walker and shot, the court was told.

Prosecutor Anthony Barker said Mr Walker killed Mr Sharpe after trying to steal his chain.

"He (Mr Sharpe) was killed because he was wearing a gold chain around his neck and probably because he fought back.

"He was a young man, brought up in the area, left school at 16 to join the British Army to be the pride of his family," he said.

A witness heard a shot and saw a man bending over Mr Sharpe, taking something from his neck, Mr Barker said.

Other witnesses saw someone running away from a body on the ground.

Mr Whitehouse made a false statement to police to help cover what Mr Walker had done, the prosecutor added.

The jury was also told police found gun shot residue was found on the 16-year-old's clothes.

The trial continues.

Photo 1) Narel Sharpe had served in Kosovo and Iraq

 

[big bad john]

http://portal.telegraph.co.uk/core/Content/displayPrintable.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/01/31/nsold31.xml&site=5

21st party soldier was 'killed for gold chain'
By Nick Britten
(Filed: 31/01/2006)

A young soldier who had fought in Iraq and Kosovo was murdered within hours of returning home to celebrate his 21st birthday, a court was told yesterday.

Pte Narel Sharpe was shot because he fought back while being mugged for a gold chain he was wearing round his neck, it was alleged.

He had only just returned to Smethwick, West Mids, and was due to attend a joint party for his 21st and his mother's 40th birthdays.

Anthony Barker, prosecuting, said Pte Sharpe was based in Germany and, on Sept 4, 2004, was driving home in his silver Peugeot 206.

He was almost home when he decided to stop off at the West Cross shopping precinct at about 4.30am to make some telephone calls.

Mr Barker said that as he left the telephone box he was approached by his alleged killer, Levi Walker.

A witness in a house nearby saw a man wearing a white hooded top bending over a body, take something from round the neck and put it in his pocket.

Mr Barker said: "His great misfortune was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was killed because he was wearing a gold chain round his neck and probably because he fought back and so he was shot, his chain was removed and he was left for dead."

Stafford Crown Court was told that Walker, 26, had been to a party and had been dropped off by some friends at the shopping centre just before Pte Sharpe was murdered.

A passing bus driver pulled up near the telephone box when he saw the attacker standing over the victim, pointing down with his right hand. After he had run off, the driver got out and found Pte Sharpe seriously hurt. He was taken to hospital, but was later pronounced dead.

The chain was later pawned for £422 at a shop in West Bromwich, the court heard.

Walker, from Edgbaston, Birmingham denies murder. The trial continues.

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[big bad john]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_midlands/4717248.stm

Man convicted of soldier's murder 

Narel Sharpe had served in Kosovo and Iraq
A 26-year-old man who shot dead a soldier home on leave from Germany has been jailed for at least 30 years.
Trooper Narel Sharpe returned to Smethwick in September 2004 for his 21st birthday and his mother's 40th.

Stafford Crown Court heard that Levi Walker, from Edgbaston in Birmingham, shot Mr Sharpe, who resisted when Walker tried to steal a gold chain.

Chervaun Whitehouse, 21, of Smethwick, and a youth aged 16 were convicted of perverting the course of justice.

  It is a crime that almost defies belief

Mr Justice Mackay

Trooper Sharpe was a member of the Queen's Royal Hussars and had served in Kosovo and Iraq.

Stafford Crown Court was told that he was driving back to his home when he stopped to use a phone box in Oldbury Road, Smethwick, where he was shot by Walker.

The trial heard that Whitehouse who, along with the teenager, helped cover up Walker's crime, was given the gold chain which he later pawned.

The weapon used was recovered when it was used in a botched robbery at a leisure centre in Smethwick.

Sentencing Walker, who had a record dating back to when he was aged 14, Mr Justice Mackay said: "This was a callous murder for a cheap piece of jewellery. It is a crime that almost defies belief."

After the verdict Gail Sharpe said the death of her son would forever haunt her.

  I feel numb, but justice has been done

Gail Sharpe, victim's mother
"I feel numb but justice has been done. I will never forgive him (Levi Walker) for what he has done but he is now off the streets of Birmingham.

"The last 15 months has been a nightmare. It is like daggers piercing into my stomach.

"The fact that I will never get to see my son again will always hurt me," she said.

Major Will Strickland, from the Queen's Royal Hussars, said Mr Sharpe was a committed and capable soldier who would have done well.

"It is a tragedy that he had been in Kosovo and Iraq on dangerous operations and been killed in his home town," he said.

'Despicable crime'

Detective Sergeant Stuart Kidd said Mr Sharpe had a completely different life to Walker despite them growing up just a few miles apart.

"He had a dream of becoming the first black colonel and was doing well in the Army," he said.

"Levi Walker has been found guilty of a despicable crime.

"This sends out a clear message: people who carry guns will be sentenced to a long time in prison."

The teenager convicted along with Chervaun Whitehouse was also found guilty of possession of a firearm.

Sentencing of the two was adjourned to Birmingham Crown Court at the end of April and they were granted bail.