A MAN has been found guilty of the murder of popular musician and tattooist Mark Nesmith at a Coventry petrol station.
Mark, 35, was stabbed at the BP garage in Butts Road, Spon End, in the early morning of June 11.
The news prompted a huge outcry of tributes in the community from family, friends, colleagues and musicians including The Enemy frontman Tom Clarke.
A jury at Birmingham Crown Court today found Tyler Smith, aged 21, of Attoxhall Road, Wyken, guilty after a trial lasting weeks.
Uzair Hussain, 24, of Crampers Field, Radford, and Sebastian Vestaki-Barsby, 18, of Barkers Butts Lane, Coundon – were cleared of murder and manslaughter, but found guilty of violent disorder.
Sentencing will take place at a later date.
Over 21,000 people within 24 hours expressed their support and love on social media after news broke that a 35-year-old was fighting for his life. He later died in hospital.
Mark worked at Hales Street Studios in the city centre, and had worked as an apprentice tattooist at the Grizzly Art Collective in the city centre.
His mother Linda said in June: “Our darling son Mark was a fun loving caring, talented young man who will be badly missed by all that knew him, our hearts are broken.”
Tom Clarke, former frontman of the now disbanded chart-topping Coventry band The Enemy wrote in June: “Today I’ve learned that Mark Nesmith, a friend and inspiration, has passed away. I first met Mark when I was 16, he was gentle, kind and incredibly intelligent and talented.
“Watching Mark sing in Akeal with the confidence he had was the inspiration I needed to begin singing. He was humble, hilarious and had a huge heart. He’ll be missed not only by his close friends and loved ones, but by all the people who were quietly influenced by him.
“Mark was a peaceful soul who died standing up to an act of despicable violence.”
More to come
