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Family of Yousef Makki asks High Court for fresh inquest into his death

Yousef Makki, 17, was stabbed to death in Hale Barns on 2 March 2019.

Emily Sergeant - 8th November 2022

The lawyers acting on behalf of the family of Yousef Makki have asked the High Court for a fresh inquest into the teenager’s death.

17-year-old Yousef Makki, who was a scholarship student at Manchester Grammar School, was tragically stabbed to death by Joshua Molnar with a flick knife – which the coroner said was purchased online with ease “during break time at school” – during a row they had in the Hale Barns area of Trafford back on the evening of 2 March 2019.

Molnar claimed self-defence and was cleared by a jury at Manchester Crown Court of murder and manslaughter.

He was jailed for 16 months for the possession of a knife in a public place and for perverting the course of justice by lying to police at the scene.

After a week-long inquest took place back in November 2021, Senior Coroner Alison Mutch said she could not safely conclude whether the death was either unlawful or accidental as she was not able to be sure of the “precise sequence of events” on the night – but Makki’s family has consistently described the this conclusion as “disgusting”.

The family of Yousef Makki has asked the High Court for a fresh inquest into his death / Credit: Greater Manchester Police

Back in May 2022, a judge granted permission for a full judicial review into the inquest.

And now this week, the teenager’s family has asked the High Court for a fresh inquest into his death, arguing that because the standard of proof in a criminal trial is “beyond reasonable doubt” while the standard during inquests is lower, they believe that “on the balance of probabilities”, the coroner could conclude Yousef was unlawfully killed.

Peter Weatherby KC, who is representing the family at a judicial review hearing at the High Court in Manchester, also questioned the “fanciful” version of events that were presented as having happened on the night.

Mr Weatherby said there were “discrepancies” between evidence heard at the trial and the inquest.

Yousef Makki, 17, was stabbed to death in Hale Barns on 2 March 2019 / Credit: Family Handout

He raised the point that during inquest, Molnar said he was not sure who produced the knife first, but had told the jury in his trial that Makki took his knife out first and he claimed self-defence – which also led Mr Weatherby to questioning the version of events directly after the stabbing.

“This is a death caused by an unlawful weapon brandished in the street by Joshua Molnar,” Mr Weatherby said.

“Unless there was some terrible accident or unless Yousef Makki put him in fear, this was an unlawful killing and the coroner simply fails to address those issues in her decision.”

Featured Image – Greater Manchester Police