BEN PROCTOR MURDER: Two men convicted of the killing of Peterborough teenager

Shwan Sabah (24) and Ako Mohammad (34) pursued and then drove at Ben Procter (19) after he was caught breaking into a car compound in Wellington Street, Peterborough, on September 15 last year.

After knocking him from his bike in Boongate at about 10.20pm, the men dragged him from underneath a hedge, unconscious but still alive, and dumped him in the vehicle’s boot.

Rather than calling emergency services, Sabah and Mohammad drove to First Drove, in Fengate, where they met Zamkar Mohammad-Majid (47) and Hawkar Mohammadi (40) who helped in an attempt to cover up the crime and destroy evidence.

They then returned to the car compound where the incident started and Mohammad called 999 once he believed Ben had died, almost an hour-and-a-half after the collision.

Ben, from Peterborough, was pronounced dead by paramedics at 12.36am the following day.

Mohammad remained at the scene to begin the cover up.

He said he had gone to the compound, which he rented to store vehicles, after receiving phone CCTV notifications and seeing there were intruders.

He lied, saying on his arrival, he had found the teenager sat on the ground, asking for water.

He went to find water, but on his return, he claimed Ben had become unresponsive and dialled 999.

However, the first officers to the scene noticed Ben was only wearing one trainer and had other injuries not consistent with a fall.

A post-mortem examination later revealed he had died from serious internal injuries consistent, with significant blunt force impact. CCTV enquiries then led to the discovery of the true circumstances.

During an eight-week trial, the jury heard how Mohammad had called his friend Sabah, who rushed to the scene and picked him up in his red Kia Soul car.

CCTV footage did not capture the collision but showed the Kia wedged front ways in a hedge before reversing out and the men putting Ben’s body in the boot, along with a damaged front bumper.

Officers found Ben’s missing trainer in the hedge and collision investigators found no evidence the Kia had braked.

Today (June 9) at Cambridge Crown Court, after 24 hours and 19 minutes of deliberation, a jury found Sabah, of Holdich Street, Peterborough, guilty of murder, false imprisonment, and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, by unanimous verdict.

He now faces a mandatory life sentence.

Mohammad, of Oundle Road, Peterborough, was found guilty by a majority verdict of manslaughter. He was found guilty by unanimous verdict of false imprisonment.

He had already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Mohammad-Majid, and Mohammadi, both of Lincoln Road, New England, Peterborough, were both found guilty of false imprisonment and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by unanimous verdict.

A date for their sentence is yet to be confirmed.

After the hearing, DCI Rich Stott, from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Major Crime Unit, said: “My thoughts go out to Ben’s family and friends.

"The jury’s verdict today provides justice for Ben and his family, and I hope it also goes some way towards allowing them to recover from the horrific ordeal of the months since his death.

“Instead of calling for help after leaving Ben fatally injured, Sabah and Mohammad cynically attempted to cover up the crime, and were willing to let him die to ensure he didn’t speak to police.

“Our investigation discovered Mohammad’s real actions and identified Sabah as the vehicle driver and the two others who helped in the attempted cover up.”