Primrose Hill murder: 18-year-old convicted of stabbing 16-year-old

An 18-year-old has been found guilty of murdering a 16-year-old boy who was stabbed in the neck while watching New Year’s Eve fireworks on Primrose Hill in north London. After a retrial at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, a jury returned a majority verdict of 11 to 1 finding Areece LloydHall guilty of the killing of Harry Pitman on December 31, 2023. LloydHall was also convicted of possession of an offensive weapon and will be sentenced on November 10.

Jurors heard that Pitman and his friends had been among large crowds who gather on Primrose Hill each year to view the capital’s fireworks display. Shortly before midnight, the court was told, playfighting and an accidental bump by Pitman sparked a confrontation with another group. Video played at trial showed a scuffle in which Pitman was pushed and struck before LloydHall approached and, prosecutors said, produced a hunting-style knife and stabbed him once in the neck. Pitman collapsed and died minutes later, shortly before midnight.

Prosecutors told the court the knife was unsheathed during the incident and that a scabbard was seen flying through the air in mobile phone footage. The scabbard was left at the scene and testing linked...