Jailed Alongside 13-Year-old Schoolboy
A teenager has been jailed for 12 years for murdering a 47-year-old Smethwick woman. Petri Kurti, aged 13, was handed the sentence at Wolverhampton Crown Court alongside Zoheb Majid, 20, who was jailed for 10 years for robbery and manslaughter.
Glynis Bensley, 47, of Smethwick had visited the Seven Stars pub in Smethwick on 3 September 2014 and was on her way home when she was targeted on Cheshire Road near to the junction with High Street. Ms Bensley was hit by Kurti making her fall to the ground. The boy was then joined within seconds by Majid on his bicycle. They turned their victim over stealing property from her pockets before the schoolboy stamped on her face with such force that his footprint was left on her cheek.
A post mortem examination of Ms Bensley revealed she died as a result of a severe bleed on the brain. Following the attack Kurti fled to nearby Victoria Park where he joined a number of people who congregated there. He was overheard talking about the incident. Majid was also seen at the park after his conspirator had left, he was also overheard talking about selling a gold bracelet.
Five days later on the evening of 9 September, the Kurti handed himself into police. During his initial interviews with detectives he did not provide any comment on the attack. He was subsequently charged with murder and appeared at youth court the following day. Unemployed Majid, of Cheshire Road in Smethwick was arrested by detectives in Highgate two days later.
Throughout the investigation, both maintained a belief that the victim was a man due to the clothing and hairstyle of Ms Bensley. At court Kurti was handed a 12 year sentence for murder and a concurrent five year sentence for robbery. He will be on licence for life. Majid was sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter and seven years for robbery to run concurrently.
Leading the investigation Detective Chief Inspector Sam Ridding said: “It was clearly the joint intention of the pair to use violence on anyone they targeted: they were in it together as the CCTV showed – they arrived within seconds of each other. “Ms Bensley was tragically in the wrong place at the wrong time and was randomly picked out by the pair believing that she was a man and that she was wearing a gold bracelet. The brutal attack was captured on CCTV
“Our thoughts remain with Glynis’ family at this time and we hope that today’s sentencing will provide some help in their grieving process.” Glynis’ sister Dawn said: “We are a very close and supportive family and always look out for each other. To try and explain how Glynis’ murder has affected us is very hard to put into words. Glynis was my only sister and best friend. I would describe her as my right arm and I thought we would grow old together.”
