From crimes of passion to sickening street violence, several defendants have received life sentences over the past 12 months and face decades behind bars. Some may never see freedom again.
7. Kaiden Williams
Williams fatally stabbed Peter Wass through the heart with a so-called “zombie knife” when he was hunted down by a gang in Chapeltown.
Mr Wass was wearing a balaclava, carrying a baseball bat and was with his friends whom had gone looking for Williams to settle a dispute, probably over money. Catching up with him near to the junction of Hamilton Place and Hamilton Avenue on the afternoon of March 2, Williams pulled out the illegal knife and plunged it into 29-year-old’s chest before running off. Mr Wass, a father-of-two from Roundhay, died within minutes. Williams, 22, had always admitted delivering the fatal blow to Mr Wass, but maintained it was self defence. He was cleared of murder by found guilty of manslaughter and was jailed for 11 years in November. (pic by WYP) was cleared of murder after a trial at Leeds Crown Court in September, but was found guilty of manslaughter. (pic by WYP) Photo: WYP
8. Karl Belinga
Karl Belinga was jailed after being found guilty of murdering 17-year-old Trust Gangata during a house party in Armley in a case of mistaken identity. Belinga, 20, was one of four people who stormed the house on Salisbury Grove in the early hours of March 19. They wrongly singled out Mr Gangata from a previous incident and stabbed him. Arrested later, the four blamed each other. Belinga was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life earlier this month, to serve a minimum 23 years. (pic by WYP) Photo: WYP
9. Paul Mbwasse
Mbwasse was also found guilty after a trial of murdering teenager Trust Gangata in Armley. Mbwasse, 19, was part of the gang of four that burst into the house party to attack Mr Gangata in a case of mistaken identity. The 17-year-old victim was stabbed through the lung, his heart and his liver and died less than an hour later. He was jailed for life, and will serve a minimum 23 years. (pic by WYP) Photo: WYP
10. Karlson Ogie
Karlson Ogie was the third man to be fond guilty of murdering Trust Gangata after a lengthy trial at Leeds Crown Court. Ogie, 19, was one of the four-strong gang who burst into the party in Armley wearing masks looking to exact revenge for an earlier incident, but wrongly picked out Mr Trust. Co-defendant Belinga had been at the party earlier in the evening and had gotten into a fight with another man. He then recruited the other three men before going back to get retribution. Like two of his co-defendants, Ogie was jailed for life with a minimum of 23 years. (pic by WYP) Photo: WYP
11. Brandon Paradzai
Paradzai had been recruited to drive three others to the house party in Armley, which led to the fatal stabbing of Trust Gangata. Paradzai, 20, drove the three men to the house on Salisbury Grove and attacked Trust, having mistaken him for a man that Belinga had been in a fight with earlier. They chased him around the house and into the kitchen, where the court heard they stabbed him 14 times in front of terrified onlookers, some as young as just 15-years-old. Paradzai was cleared of murder, but found guilty of manslaughter. He was jailed for 16 years. (Pic by WYP) (pic by WYP) Photo: WYP
12. Alga Lutondo
Drug dealer Alga Lutondo was found guilty of murdering Daneiko Ferguson in Chapeltown following a trial. Lutondo, 32, went looking for Mr Ferguson after he "taxed" one of Lutondo's dealers, breaking into her home and demanding she hand over her drugs. Recruiting his co-defendant, Halgon Randon, as "muscle", they both rode around Chapeltown on bicycles in search of Mr Ferguson before finding him on Compton Street. He was stabbed five times and left to die. Lutondo and Randon claimed the other stabbed the victim. While the jury were convinced that Lutondo committed murder, they were unable to decide on Randon, who will face a re-trial. Lutondo is expected to be sentenced in the coming weeks. (pic by WYP) Photo: WYP