Cliffy Alvarez convicted in Junior Osborne’s murder. He faces a life sentence for his role in the fatal Narborough Road attack.
Alvarez blocked Osborne’s path as he was cycling on Narborough Road near Subway. Nero McLean, 16, stabbed Osborne in the neck. CCTV caught the killing on camera, showing Osborne falling off his bike and collapsing. All six people involved then left and went to a flat.
Police offered £20,000 for information at the time to identify the man on the bike. Alvarez said he only met the teens that day and claimed he just chatted with Osborne. He further stated that he didn’t plan to hurt him.
The jury didn’t believe him and found him guilty of murder, also noting that he had an offensive weapon. Alvarez will receive a mandatory life sentence, and a judge will decide his minimum prison term at a hearing this Friday at a court.
McLean received a life sentence last May with a minimum prison term of 17 years. Four others were found guilty of manslaughter and got eight years in jail. Those convicted were Nevardo McLean, Moises Steiner, Theobald Budzwa, and James Williams.
CCTV showed them together before, during, and after the stabbing. Nero McLean and two others called the man “DJ.” Police later identified “DJ” as Alvarez, and he was soon arrested in July.
Detective Inspector Mark Parish, who was in charge of the investigation, believed another person was involved and that justice had to be served to that person as well. The team identified Alvarez as the cyclist who stopped Osborne, allowing McLean to stab him. He hopes this outcome brings comfort to the community, emphasizing the importance of seeking justice for awful acts.