Unmasked: Face of ‘feral’ teenage killer revealed after Express & Star bid

This follows a successful application by the Express & Star for the removal of a court ban on the naming of 17-year-old Brandon Phillips, who continued to commit crime after being involved in the fatal stabbing of 41-year-old Simon Johnson.

The cloak of anonymity was lifted by Judge James Burbidge QC, sitting at Wolverhampton Crown Court, who ruled: “I am satisfied that it is in the interest of justice that the restriction be lifted.

“Brandon Phillips was engaged in a spree of significant crime with one crime leading to another.

“After the death of Mr Johnson he committed further crime eight days later when he went with others to a park where a youth was held and robbed at knifepoint.”

Nine months after that offence the defendant was caught in possession of a knife.

Phillips, from Dunhill Road, Rowley Regis, was locked up for 10 years in January this year after being convicted the previous month by a Wolverhampton Crown Court jury of the manslaughter of Mr Johnson during the early hours of August 11, 2016.

He and 19-year-old Damilola Johnson were stealing cannabis plants from the address in Cradley Road, Netherton, when they woke the victim, who lived alone following the break up of his marriage

In the confrontation that followed father- of-two Mr Johnson – not related to his attacker – was stabbed to death.

The older teenager who was convicted of murder and ordered to serve at least 21 years of a life sentence.

The fingerprints of both defendants were found on a bin bag full of cannabis discovered alongside Mr Johnson when his body was discovered on the upstairs landing by a workmate less than four hours after the attack. CCTV film captured their escape after the killing.

Last month Phillips admitted being part of a ‘feral pack’ who assaulted and robbed a string of youths during an evening of violence three days before the fatal stabbing.

He beat up a youth at Brierley Hill’s Merry Hill shopping centre and, two hours later, robbed a youth, one of four who had their mobile phones taken by members of the gang, which surrounded them as they rode BMX bikes at a skateboard park in Old Wharf Road, Stourbridge.

Judge Burbidge told the defendant, who was given six months detention for the robbery and a one month consecutive term for the assault: “You were out of control in 2016, having abandoned your interest in law-abiding pursuits to the pack mentality and that led to the grave crime of manslaughter for which you received a 10-year sentence with an extended licence.

“If you had admitted these offences earlier you may have received a custodial sentence, which could have broken your link with the pack but there is no point, or justice, in extending the sentence you are already serving.

“You are not being allowed to go Scot free because you are already serving a massive sentence. I hope that when it is completed you are able to pursue an honest, decent non violent life.”

Mr Tony Nayager, defending, said Phillips was a member of what was effectively a ‘feral pack’ and was ‘deeply ashamed’ of what happened.

Phillips, who had been convicted of robbery and attempted robbery in January 2016, returned to crime just eight days after either seeing Mr Johnson stabbed to death or being at the scene when the murder took place.

He was with others who robbed another young man of his mobile phone as the victim walked through Haden Hill Park in Cradley Heath.

Then he was arrested again on May 17 last year after being found in possession of a knife.