The family of Yousef Makki have released an emotional statement revealing their distress at the early release of Josh Molnar.
Molnar was yesterday released from a Young Offenders’ Institute less than a year since stabbing Yousef Makki to death in Hale Barns – and only 215 days into a 16-month sentence.
The now 18-year-old did admit to the lesser charges of perverting the course of justice, and he and a second 17-year-old boy now revealed as Adam Chowdhary also pleaded guilty to possessing flick knives.
As a result Molnar was sentenced to a 16-month detention training order – 12 months for perverting the course of justice, and four months for possession of the knife.
And his release yesterday has been described as “simply crushing” by the family of former Manchester Grammar School student Yousef – who say they had received assurances that Molnar would not be released early.
In a statement, they said: “On Monday 2nd March, we will commemorate the one year anniversary of Yousef’s death, aged 17 years old and with the world at his feet.
“To receive the news that Joshua Molnar, the boy who we hold entirely responsible for Yousef’s death, is to be given early release from a Young Offenders’ Institute some six days before such a pivotal date in the lives of Yousef’s many friends and family members, is simply crushing. There is no other word for it.
“As a family, we were promised that Joshua Molnar would not be given early release – and yet this is what has happened, without any communication with our family from Greater Manchester Police or Cheshire Police.
“To make matters worse, we have been offered no information regarding any potential exclusion zones that have been put in place to protect us, which is causing our family considerable anxiety when our focus should be on remembering and honouring Yousef and preserving his legacy.”
The family have already been vocal about their disdain for the system that saw Molnar cleared of murder and manslaughter, claiming they were treated “like criminals” in court and were left “traumatised” by the decision to clear the teenager of his murder.
And today they added: “In many respects, today’s news compounds our experience with the justice system over the last 12 months. Time after time, our family has been failed by the organisations whose job it is to uphold the law and protect citizens – and today’s news feels, yet again, like another smack in the face.
“As a family, we have been attempting to mentally and emotionally prepare ourselves for the weekend approaching, however today’s news has once again shattered our attempts at trying to process the grief of the loss of our beloved son, brother, nephew and friend.
“Living with the injustices we have witnessed continues to cause everyone who knew Yousef immense pain, anguish and suffering, however we will continue to fight for justice – something which we remain optimistic can be achieved in the long term, with the support of the hundreds of people who continue to support us and shout about the clear injustices of Yousef’s case, from the rooftops.”
