Pair admit killing Bilston teenager Shane Owoo
Apr 3 2008 By Ross McCarthy
TWO men have admitted causing the death of a 16-year-old schoolboy who drowned after being forced into a water-filled clay pit for "a punishment swim".
Christopher Lewis, 22, of St Russells Road, Bilston and Marvin Walker, 21, of no fixed address, both pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to the manslaughter of Shane Owoo.
A third man, Tobias Davies, 21, of Frost Street, Ettingshall, Wolverhampton admitted assaulting Mr Owoo.
All three entered their guilty pleas on the day they were due to stand trial.
They were all remanded in custody by Mr Justice Coulson for reports to be prepared on them and will be sentenced later this month.
Anesta Weeks, prosecuting, said on September 29 last year the victim was assaulted.
The attack included being pushed into nettles and being kneed in the face.
He was then "frogmarched" down to Lunt Pool in Bilston.
"He was made to get into the pool. He was told to remove his jacket and made to swim," she said.
"During the course of this demands were made upon him and he eventually tried to get out of the pool."
Ms Weeks said he was stopped from getting out by having stones hurled at him and he was also beaten with branches and he was told to swim further in.
The body was later recovered from the pool.
Ms Weeks said it was accepted Davies's role in what happened had been less than the other two.
David Williams QC, for Lewis, said that it had initially been horseplay and that Mr Owoo had been taken down to the pool and made to swim as a punishment.
f=XZapfDingbats no SCENE OF TRAGEDY... Lunt Pool where Shane Owoo (inset) drowned.
