Murder suspect claims he had 'no idea' brutal slaying of Leeds teenager was to happen

Ranei Wilks is charged with the savage killing of 18-year-old Jamie Meah and the attempted murder of his 16-year-old friend, which the Crown claim stemmed from a drugs turf war.

Wilks, 23, admits he was in a Mercedes from which the gang stepped out to attack Mr Meah and Kayne Priestley, who were delivering drugs on the evening of March 31, 2023.

But he claims he had no knowledge of the attack that was about to happen, and had remained in the car throughout.

Defence barrister Louise Blackwell KC addressed the jury on the first day of Wilk’s predicted two-week trial at Leeds Crown Court on Monday.

She said: “He was in that car with people that he knew, one he had been to school with.

“He had no idea of any knife being in that car.”

She said he accepted there was a “degree of drugs being delivered” by the group in the Mercedes but Wilks had no involvement.

All four suspects fled the country shortly after the attack - with the remaining three still on the run - and Wilks returning to the UK in April last year.

Explaining why he left with the others, Ms Blackwell said: “He was shocked by what he had seen happen. He stayed with the group through fear.

“He denies any knowledge of any knife or anybody having a knife. He did not leave the car and definitely did not use a knife.”

However, opening the case earlier on Monday, Imran Shafi KC said that the taxi driver, who had been transporting the victims, identified Wilks as the man armed with the “sword” that fateful night.

The victims were in the taxi on Brooklyn Street in Armley about the deliver drugs at around 5.30pm on March 31, 2023, when they noticed the Mercedes parked up nearby.

Panicking, the victims told the taxi driver to move, but they were then dragged from the car by the three men from the Mercedes.

They were punched, kicked, stabbed and slashed with the “three-to-four-foot sword”.

One was overheard to say to the victims: “You better tell your boys.”

Mr Meah’s femoral artery was severed in the attack causing fatal bleeding. Mr Priestley survived but suffered multiple lacerations.

All four suspects then fled the country, catching a ferry from Wales to Ireland.

Wilks, of no fixed address, was arrested in April last year - a year after the murder - after landing at Leeds Bradford Airport on a flight from Turkey.

As well as being charged with murder, attempted murder and possession of a knife on the the night of the murder, Wilks is also charged with possession of a knife from an incident in July 2022, when a car was stopped with Wilks riding as the passenger.

On the passenger side, a large knife was recovered.

Ms Blackwell said that again, Wilks, had no knowledge of the knife being in the car.

His trial continues.