The killer of 20-year-old Dylan Keelan, who was stabbed to death in Dukinfield in February, has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 17 years.

Klayton Skelly, 18, was sentenced at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court on Thursday (27 October) after pleading guilty to Dylan's murder. 

The prosecution told the court that the teenager fatally stabbed Dylan on Cheetham Hill Road on Friday 4 February, at around 9.30pm. 

Police identified Skelly, who was 17 at the time, as a suspect less than 40 minutes after the initial 999 call was made – the pressure of a three-day manhunt led him to hand himself in at his local police station.

With Dylan's mum Nicola's blessing, GMP have released body worn video audio from the night of his death

Detective Inspector Lee Shaw, of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “The thoughts of everyone on the investigation team remain with Dylan’s loved ones. No sentence could fix their broken hearts but it is our hope that today’s result gives them a sense of justice and closure.

“Across Greater Manchester, officers are working hard to fight, prevent and reduce knife crime. With Dylan’s mum’s blessing, we have released body worn video audio from the night of his death to show the reality of responding to a stabbing and to encourage parents and guardians to talk to young people about the consequences – for victims, offenders and their loved ones.

“I would like to use this opportunity to thank the members of the public and first responders who did everything they could to save Dylan’s life. Also, the officers who were first on scene and assisted detectives with bringing this case to court and securing this outcome.”

Dylan Keelan was fatally stabbed in February, two weeks before his 21st birthday

'We're going to miss him so much' 

Since Dylan's death, his mum Nicola Wardle has been supporting the fight against knife crime - encouraging parents and carers to have conversations with the young people in their lives and, if necessary, help them safely surrender weapons in their possession or report it to services. 

Speaking outside court, Nicola reiterated the important message and stressed how much Dylan's family will miss him. 

"I wish Dylan could be here today and we didn’t have to go through this," she said. "He wasn’t in any gangs, he was a normal boy and we’re going to miss him so much.  

"I feel sick when I see Klayton, I don’t think he knows what he’s done himself and the extent that he’s hurt people. He pleaded guilty but that was last minute and there's been no remorse at all.  

"Last night, before we all went to bed to come here, there was another stabbing that killed a young man in Manchester. I just wish people would think, don’t take knives out." 

'There are too many people in Greater Manchester carrying knives' 

Detective Chief Superintendent Jon Chadwick said the sentencing reflects the new guidelines to homicide involving knives and hopes the length of sentence acts as a deterrent to people who carry knives in Greater Manchester. 

He said: "This day is about Dylan and the kind of person that he was, his life and his friends and family being happy and celebrating who he was.  

"I’d like to thank Nicola for her courage and dignity, we met not long ago but having spoken to everybody who worked on this case, she has shown nothing but courage, nothing but dignity and massive amounts of kindness to the officers that she’s worked with. 

"She stood up in court today, if there’s anything she can do to prevent this happening to someone else, she’d going to do it.  

"There is something about society that makes people carry knives, in particular young men, so we need help from parents, carers and teachers. It tends to be young men that carry knives, it tends to be young men that are victim to these crimes.  

"There are too many people in Greater Manchester carrying knives, they are generally young men. I have no doubt that in their heads when they go out they often think it's just for show and they won't use it, that’s not how these things happen. 

"As in Dylan’s case it’s often about a split second, we very seldom see premeditated murders, but this is how it happens. It’s over very small reasons, but the consequences are forever."

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