Teenager Killed For Supposed ‘Racist Dancing’

A 17-year-old was killed after a fight broke out because an Asian boy thought he was mocking his ethnicity by copying dance moves from the chart topping track ‘Gangnam Style’, a court has heard.

Jordan Brennan started doing the distinctive dance move when he was confronted by a fellow shopper who thought his moves were racist, the Daily Mail reports.

CCTV footage of the incident shows the teenager starting to dance after entering a corner shop in ‘high spirits’ and only 17 seconds later being confronted by his attacker.

A court heard that a struggle broke out between the two teenage boys after the defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, demanded Jordan apologise after bumping into him.

As the two boys fought, the 17-year-old fell back and hit his head on the metal shutters outside the shop in Gorton, Manchester, before further bashing his head on the concrete floor. Despite the boy being on the floor and clearly injured, his attacked then allegedly proceeded to kick him in the legs before calmly returning to his shopping.

Jordan then got up and walked home, unaware he had suffered what would turn out to be a fatal head injury, and did not seek medical attention.

His mother Kim found him dead in his bed the next morning when she went to try to raise her son for breakfast and tests showed he had suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain from the fall.

The 16-year-old alleged killer pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted manslaughter at Manchester Crown Court over the incident in October last year.

Prosecutor Rob Hall summarised the situation, saying: “On one view that is Jordan being in high spirits and exuberant and dancing to a popular current song, and on another view, and the view held by the defendant, is that the performance was a racist slur against him because of his appearance and ethnicity.

“The Crown would simply say the evidence is inconsistent as to the motivation of Jordan at the time. We understand why the defendant reached the conclusion that he did.”

Mr Hall said they did not believe the attacker ever had any intention to kill Jordan Brennan, but may have intended to cause serious harm. The defendant accepts that he challenged Jordan after taking offence to the horse riding style dance move made popular by South Korean pop star Psy which resulted in the fall and his subsequent death.

But he told the jury that he had no idea Jordan’s injury would be so serious until he saw media coverage and turned himself into police.

The 16-year-old’s defence barrister Kate Blackwell QC said ”The defendant accepts committing the unlawful act that led to the death.

‘The deceased made remarks on the appearance of the defendant that he found racist in tone. They were making him embarrassed and angered him in front of his girlfriend.”

The court was told that the defendant followed Jordan out of the shop and tried to make him look at him and apologise for the slur he felt had been inflicted on him.

The boy, who is now 17, has been bailed until sentencing in March. However the Judge warned him that the granting of bail did not mean he would be given a non-custodial sentence.

“The fact I have granted you bail does not provide an indication of the type of sentence I may pass,” David Stockdale QC told him.

“What I mean by that is the fact that you have been on bail does not mean that you won’t receive an immediate custodial sentence.”