Noel Reade: Profile of one of Cheshire's most dangerous teens

The Crewe teen was jailed on Monday, February 21, for a minimum of 19 years at Her Majesty’s pleasure for the murder of Winsford man Keagan Crimes.

During the sentencing hearing, the comments from his own barrister came with something of an advisory warning.

Michael Hayton QC said: “During the latter half of 2020 he was clearly out of control.

“He was still a youth when he carried out these crimes.

“The fact they were committed over a comparatively short space of time is significant I might add.

“It is troubling he carried out the aggravated burglary within weeks of a murder.

“He’s a young person with not inconsiderable difficulties, including with both his mental and physical health.”

READ MORE > Teen killer showed no remorse says detective who led murder investigation

Despite the honest assessment, Mr Hayton asserted his client was acting like 'a big man' rather than having any real influence on drug dealing in and around the Winsford area.

“It was someone acting the big man and embarking upon a new friendship with those clearly carrying out criminality,” he said.

“He shouldn’t be placed in the same category as some others in the area.

“They are organised criminal groups.

“This is a tragedy that has left two people dead.

“He is someone not beyond hope, with a basic intelligence to move on in life.”

By the time he stabbed Keagan to death, Reade had already been involved in an incident involving a knife.

He had been part of a group of teenagers who attacked a man and when the then 15-year-old found himself in a headlock, asked an acquaintance 'to stick him' which he did, stabbing the victim several times.

Judge Steven Everett told Reade: “It didn’t make you learn or change your approach.

The shops in Cheviot Square

“You were clearly setting yourself up to be a ringleader, nothing more or less, in the drugs supply in Winsford.

“You wanted to be the boss.

“Even at a young age you are a vicious thug who wants to lead others and use violence.

“Violence had become a normal way of life.

“You haven’t changed your approach.

“Everybody else came a very poor second, and that included severe violence.”

Indeed, just weeks after fatally stabbing Keagan with a Rambo-style knife and inflicting two stab wounds to Jason McQuoid, Reade was back, using a similar weapon during a house burglary.

He threatened the occupants by waving the knife around, making threats to kill.

“What an effect you had on the family whose house you broke into,” he said.

“You have had a huge effect on many people.

“You thought you were untouchable.”

Reade even showed his lack of remorse and contempt for those affected by his crimes as he smiled and blew a kiss to someone in the public gallery as he was being led down to the cells.

The gesture and a return of comments from the gallery prompted Judge Everett to order that person to leave.

Even after he was found guilty the teenage killer showed a similar disdain for the court when making a ‘gangster-esque’ hand gesture to another associate in the public gallery, who also found himself subject of an order to leave by the judge.

As he was sentenced to serve at least 19 years, a shaven-headed Reade showed little emotion as he looked straight ahead at Judge Everett.