Jarvin Blake trial: Jurors find one guilty of murder and two guilty of manslaughter

(L-R) Caine Gray, Devon Walker and Josiah Foster

One man accused of murdering Sheffield dad Jarvin Blake in a knife attack carried out in broad daylight has just been found guilty, while his two co-accused have been found guilty of Mr Blake’s manslaughter.

22-year-old Jarvin Blake died from a knife wound to the chest a matter of minutes after being stabbed in Catherine Street, Burngreave at around 3pm on March 8 last year.

Following eight hours and one minute of deliberations, jurors found Caine Gray, 27, of Treetown Crescent, Treeton unanimously guilty of Mr Blake’s murder this afternoon.

Jarvin Blake was fatally stabbed in March last year

His co-accused, Josiah Foster, 26, of Cookson Close, Wadsley Bridge and Devon Walker, 24, formerly of Burngreave, have been found unanimously guilty of the lesser charge of Mr Blake’s manslaughter.

A fourth defendant, Lewis Barker, 27, of HMP Lincoln, pleaded guilty to Mr Blake’s murder last month.

The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson QC, adjourned the sentencing hearing until June 7 and remanded Foster, Gray and Walker into custody until then.

Barker will be sentenced along with Foster, Gray and Walker.

Mr Blake leaves behind partner, Kelsey Dixon, and their three young children.

At the opening of the five-week trial last month, prosecutor, Simon Kealey QC, said it was the Crown’s case that Walker effectively set Mr Blake up and directed the other defendants travelling in a car driven by Foster to where he was ‘so they could then attack him’.

Speaking after the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Steve Handley, said: “ To identify those involved in Mr Blake’s death and bring them before the courts, we have had a dedicated team of detectives working tirelessly over the last 13-months , carrying out an in-depth investigation. “This ultimately led to us identifying the four men as suspects and establishing their movements in the run up to the attack on Mr Blake.

“Through extensive and exhaustive telecoms, CCTV and analytical work, we were able to piece together a timeline of their movements, who they were speaking to and where they had travelled to that day.”

He added: DCI Handley said: “The four of them had a plan and worked together to orchestrate Mr Blake’s death. While none of the defendants have ever given a clear indication of who was responsible for delivering the fatal blow to Mr Blake, the likelihood is that the incident was as a result of a build-up of violence amongst the circles they associated with and the dealing of drugs. “Ultimately though, all four men have played a part in robbing three young children of a life with their father.

“I hope that his partner, friends and family can take some solace in knowing that today, justice has been served and all four men are facing significant time behind bars.

“This has been an extremely complex investigation in which we have faced numerous challenges. That said, we’ve never given up and kept Mr Blake’s family at the forefront of our minds.”