Teenage killer who stabbed Kennie Carter named for first time | Manchester News

A teenager who fatally stabbed a 14-year-old boy in a “revenge” attack has been named publicly for the first time.

Kennie Carter was on the phone to his brother when he was attacked in Trafford, Greater Manchester, on 22 January 2022 and was heard to say “they’ve stabbed me in my heart bro” before collapsing.

He was found lying face down on Thirlmere Avenue in Stretford and died later in hospital from a single stab wound to the chest.

His killer, L’Vaion Peniston, who was found guilty of murder last July, could not previously be named due to his age but has since turned 18.

Peniston was 14 when he attacked Kennie and 16 when he was convicted and sentenced.

The trial judge, Mr Justice Goose, denied a media application to lift a reporting restriction, but the anonymity order automatically lapsed after Peniston’s recent birthday.

He was charged along with three other teenagers over the stabbing, but was the only defendant convicted of murder.

The other three boys, then 18-year-old Latif Ferguson and two 16-year-olds who still cannot be named, were convicted of manslaughter.

Six other teenagers, then aged between 15 and 19, were found not guilty of charges related to Kennie’s death.

Peniston was detained for life with a minimum term of 16 years and 60 days.

Greater Manchester Police previously said Kennie was only a street away from his home when he was set upon by a group which had travelled three miles from the Hulme area, looking for “revenge”.

The court heard that on the evening before the stabbing, friends of Kennie and friends of the four teenagers had been involved in a fight which saw a man injured and a bat or pole being brandished.

The group had already been to a block of flats where they knew Kennie’s friends could be and stole three bikes.

When they came across Kennie, one of them was heard to shout: “You’re the one who had backed that pole.”

A witness also heard them shout “this is revenge”.

Speaking after the trial, Kennie’s mother Joan Dixon said he had “brightened up every day with his cheeky smile and bubbly personality”.

“He was always acting daft, telling jokes and generally being a 16-year-old boy,” she said.

“He had everything to live for.”

She said he was the youngest of four children and was about to start applying for college to pursue his passion for designing artwork on cars.

“He was a very talented artist,” she said.

“I hadn’t realised how artistic he was until one of his teachers showed us his drawings and they were genuinely impressive.”

She said life since the day of his murder had “not been the same”.

“Every day I wake up thinking of him. I dream about him regularly,” she said.

“Life has stopped for us and will never ever be the same.”