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parents or other relatives is preferable to a foster family. Toni-Ann, through her own admission, was very close to
Byfield and had expressed a desire to be with her "father". However, criticism was made of Birmingham Social Services for failing to take into account that Byfield had recently served a prison sentence for a drug offence and was believed to still be involved in the drug trade. The murder forced the police, media and consequently public to take a more focused stand on
127:, he had little contact with his father and lived with his mother. He said that he was physically abused as a baby. By the age of 17 he committed his first offence, a robbery. He went on to receive 34 convictions including violence, drugs and firearms offences and robberies. He was a member of a notorious gang, the Mus Love Crew.
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in 2006, Smith had denied the murders, claiming another man had admitted being the killer to him. After being found guilty Smith was jailed for life for both murders, with a recommendation that he should serve at least 40 years before being considered for parole. As a result, he is likely to remain
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On 13 September 2003, Smith gained entry to
Byfield's property on the pretext of wanting to buy cannabis. He shot Byfield three times in his living room, using a 9mm semi-automatic. The victim grabbed a bicycle which he attempted to throw at Smith, though his body ended up entangled in the frame.
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The murder provoked outrage around London and brought criticism of
Birmingham Social Services to the fore. The Department of Social Services, when dealing with children, has a policy of taking the wishes of the child into serious consideration, and holds the position that placing the child with
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As well as serving time in prison
Byfield, who was also known as Tony or Blacka, is believed to have been affiliated to a Jamaican drugs cartel. He had survived an attempt on his life in 2002 when he was shot six times. Bertram Byfield had believed he was Toni-Ann's father. However, post-mortem
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but raised in the United
Kingdom for most of her life. Her mother, Rosalyn Richards, did not emigrate to the UK with Toni-Ann and Byfield, but arrived in the UK soon after the murders to make an appeal to the public to assist in finding the killer. While she was in the UK, she claimed
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Toni-Ann was shot in the back by Smith after he had shot
Bertram, a rival drug dealer, so that she could not identify his killer. Smith believed that he had committed a perfect crime, leaving no
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in prison until at least 2045 and the age of 72. This sentence is one of the longest recommended minimum terms ever made by a judge or politician in
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Toni-Ann had been getting ready for bed at the time. She entered the room and was shot once in the back as she attempted to flee.
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On 4 August 2006, Smith was convicted of murdering seven-year-old Toni-Ann and
Bertram, who was thought to be her father.
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Toni-Ann was staying with
Bertram Byfield when they were killed. At the time of her death, she was in the care of
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or forensic evidence at the scene. Following the murders Smith, who was known as
Cocaine or Caine, fled London to
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On 14 September 2003, Toni-Ann
Byfield and Bertram Byfield were murdered by Joel Smith at a bedsit in
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Caribbean Net News: London drug dealer jailed for life for Jamaican girl's murder
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Toni-Ann was seven years old at the time of her death. She was born in
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285:"Cold-blooded killer of Toni-Ann jailed for at least 40 years"
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The Scotman: 'Cold-blooded' Toni-Ann killer to serve 40 years
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but her request was rejected and she is due to be deported.
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Bertram Byfield had been jailed in 1997 for dealing in
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430:BBC News article covering Smith's conviction
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384:"Toni-Ann 'was alive' says accused"
366:"Who could shoot a seven-year-old?"
338:"Toni-Ann placed in criminal world"
336:Marshall, Douglas (4 August 2006).
312:"Toni-Ann placed in criminal world"
231:"Life sentence for Toni-Ann killer"
482:2003 murders in the United Kingdom
80:examinations revealed he was not.
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364:Jackson, Marie (4 August 2006).
262:"Killer was 'lowest of the low'"
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18:Joel Smith (murderer)
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200:. 15 September 2003
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349:12 December
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177:References
149:Old Bailey
119:Joel Smith
90:Birmingham
71:Birmingham
56:Background
167:gun crime
50:Liverpool
370:BBC News
316:BBC News
266:BBC News
235:BBC News
198:BBC News
160:Response
131:Murders
108:Jamaica
394:1 June
321:7 June
295:1 June
240:7 June
204:8 June
125:London
113:asylum
101:bedsit
36:London
143:Trial
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