Yousef Makki: fresh inquest granted after previous decision quashed by High Court
20 January 2023
On 2 March 2019, Yousef Makki died as a result of a single stab wound to the chest, sustained during an incident in the street in a well-to-do suburb of South Manchester. Yousef was 17 at the time, he was doing exceptionally well at school studying for A levels, and he was expected to go onto University. The boy who wielded the flick knife which caused the fatal injury was subsequently tried for murder but acquitted.
The Senior Coroner for South Manchester resumed the adjourned inquest into Yousef’s death between 8 and 17 November 2021. She determined that there was insufficient evidence to conclude whether the killing was lawful or unlawful, recording that the precise circumstances could not be ascertained even on the balance of probabilities.
The family were devastated by this conclusion and sought judicial review. The family contended that the Coroner had failed to properly consider all the evidence on the central issue, and therefore her conclusion was “Wednesbury unreasonable”.
The High Court (Macur LJ and Fordham J) agreed, quashing the decision and directing a fresh inquest before a different Coroner. Read the judgement here.
Speaking outside Manchester Civil Justice Centre this morning, Yousef’s sister Jade said :
“We are grateful to the judges for today recognising that the Coroner’s conclusion was unlawful, and for the compassion and understanding they showed us during the judicial review hearing. We were so pleased to have achieved an inquest, but the Coroner marched us up to the top of the hill, only to march us down again.
“We now look forward to a new inquest before a different Coroner which we hope – and pray – will establish clearly the facts about how Yousef died. The flawed inquest used up all of the funds that we worked so hard to raise, and so we must now ask the public again for their generous help in allowing us to be represented at the inquest, as the others involved inevitably will be. We cannot be put on an uneven footing again, as we were at the criminal trial.
“We know this is a lot to ask, at a difficult time for everybody, but please know that we are forever grateful for those who have helped us so far, and those who might do so in the future.
“We’d like to thank our supporters who have attended today, and our legal team, who have stood by us every step of the way, and helped us get to this point. But this is the beginning and not the end. We will not stop until we have justice for Yousef: for us, for our Mum, but first and foremost for him, our own beloved King.”
Pete Weatherby KC of our inquests and inquiries team and Matthew Stanbury of Park Square Barristers represented the family at the inquest and in the High Court. Pete commented:
“The family have acted with incredible dignity throughout the legal processes since Yousef’s death. They are very pleased with the High Court’s decision, and although they recognise that no legal process can bring Yousef back, they hope that some semblance of justice can now be obtained.”
More on this story in the media:
‘Significant new information’ in Yousef Makki case (manchestermill.co.uk)
Fresh inquest launched into stabbing of Hale Barns teenager Yousef Makki | ITV News Granada
Yousef Makki: High court orders second inquest into teen stabbed to death (inews.co.uk)
Yousef Makki: Stabbed boy’s family win fight for new inquest – BBC News
Yousef Makki: Second inquest ordered into death of Hale Barns stabbing victim | UK News | Sky News
Judge orders new inquest into death of stabbed schoolboy Yousef Makki, 17 | Daily Mail Online
