The lead detective that investigated the brutal murder of teenager Jack Woodley has spoken out about the 'chilling' details of the case following the sentencing of ten of his killers. 

On Friday (August 5), the ten teenage killers of Mr Woodley, 18, were sentenced to a combined minimum sentence of 124 years for the murder of Jack in Houghton-le-Spring in October 2021.

During a lengthy trial, it was heard that Mr Woodley was attacked with punches and kicks before being stabbed twice by a 'Rambo-syle' 25cm knife in Houghton-le-Spring in October 2021.

Read more: Jack Woodley murder: Ten teens are JAILED for minimum of 124 years

He died in hospital the following night from injuries suffered in the attack, mainly two stab wounds inflicted by a 15-year-old defendant.

Ten youths, aged 14 to 18, were convicted in June this year after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court – where the trial heard that witnesses had seen the group attacking Mr Woodley "like zombies attacking an animal".

One 15-year-old admitted delivering the fatal knife blow, but the jury found all ten guilty of murder.

The Northern Echo: Detective chief inspector Joanne Brooks from Northumbria Police. Picture: ITVDetective chief inspector Joanne Brooks from Northumbria Police. Picture: ITV

The 15-year-old, who delivered the fatal blow, has been sentenced to a minimum of 17 years.

Nine other teenagers have also been sentenced.

Following the court judgement on Friday, footage of an ITV interview between reporter Gregg Easteal and detective chief inspector, Joanne Brooks, of Northumbria Police, has been released. 

In the footage, the police detective highlighted the CCTV, phone footage and the witnesses in the case as "integral" to cracking the murder case. 

Within the programme, Joanne Brooks also remembers having to "unpick" the case and all of those involved, including securing convictions for the first few teenagers before working backwards to catch the remaining juveniles. 

The Northern Echo: Jack Woodley. Picture: NORTHERN ECHOJack Woodley. Picture: NORTHERN ECHO

However, this wasn't the most shocking and chilling element of the interview. 

Recalling seeing the footage of Jack's murder for the first time, the police detective describes the panic in hearing the words "get the chopper out" several times, before Mr Woodley was stabbed twice. 

She said: "These children were going into a fight knowing they have a knife. The words 'get the chopper' sounded more like an order - it was really quite shocking."

"It wasn't just the knife, one of the youths had a knuckleduster - they were quite happy to use them and were happy to attack someone."

Later in the interview, the lead detective in the case praised the "vital" eyewitnesses, many of whom were young people themselves and those that were balancing the stresses of exams with giving evidence in the murder trial.

Here is part of Joanne Brookes' interview:

What also struck the detective was that some of the ten convicted teens were "shocked" that they were charged with murder when they weren't the ones holding the knife that killed Mr Woodley.

One teen also believed that they'd be charged with assault and not murder.

"It appeared to me that they didn't think they were involved in the case because they didn't handle the knife," she recalled.

"If some of those boys hadn't attacked Jack in the first place, the stabbing wouldn't have happened. 

"They just didn't seem to grasp the severity, and I don't think the realisation started until after the conviction.

"It was as if they were okay with assaulting someone, without thinking of the implications of what they were doing."

Now that the ten teenagers are sentenced for the murder of Mr Woodley, the lead detective says that it isn't one of "celebration" and instead, it is a sad day, having seen the impact of sending young people to prison. 

She added: "It's bittersweet because while I want to get justice for the family and the victim, these people are just kids - their lives have been ruined as well."

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