A regional daily has won a fight in one of the highest courts in the land to name three teenage killers.

The Northern Echo has succeeded in identifying Grant Wheatley, Clayton Owen and Sonny Smith, who have all been convicted of murdering Jack Woodley.

The Northern Echo won the right to name the three killers following a challenge at the Court of Appeal, where they and seven others convicted of Mr Woodley’s murder are appealing against their convictions.

The newspaper’s chief reporter Gavin Havery argued in court that naming those involved would act as a deterrent.

The killers’ faces on the front of Friday’s Echo

Mr Woodley, who was 18, died from a stab wound the day after he was beaten and kicked by a pack of young men aged 14 to 18.

Last year, the families of nine of those convicted supported a joint bid by Newsquest daily the Echo and Reach plc’s Newcastle Chronicle to lift reporting restrictions in order for the press to reveal the “true reality” of what happened on the night Jack was killed last year.

Now, the Darlington-based Echo has named Wheatley and Owen, both 19, and 18-year-old Smith after presiding judge Lord Justice Tim Holroyde said a court order banning their identification no longer applied because they have all turned 18.

Barristers acting for the murderers have argued they did not get a fair trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

The judge said section 45 orders, relating to the remaining seven killers, will remain in place until a verdict is reached, when further consideration will be given.

Mr Woodley’s death was among a number of knife crimes that prompted the Echo to launch the North East Knife Crime Taskforce, a public forum that will bring together organisations including police forces, councils and schools to fight the problem in the North-East of England.

Editor Gavin Foster told HTFP: “The murder of Jack Woodley shocked a community and left families distraught. Since then, the Northern Echo has campaigned on behalf of Jack’s mum and other families left devastated by knife crime, for changes in the law addressing sentencing, access to knives and education our young people in a bid to prevent them from picking up a knife.

“We recently launched a North East Knife Crime Taskforce – pulling together police forces, crime reduction units, politicians, councils, agencies and the families of victims so that we could work with a collective voice to tackle this rising scourge in our society.

“Jack’s mum and other families argue that deterrents are simply not strong enough – and if open justice is to be served, those who carry out such crimes such be named and shamed and not have their identity protected under a veil of secrecy by our laws.

“Challenging this order was about listening to these families and ensuring open justice is served. Our chief reporter Gavin Havery argued this, pointing to our task force and that naming those involved would act as a deterrent.

“Thankfully the judge agreed with his arguments while he sat as those responsible appeal their conviction.

“The identities of others convicted of this crime remain protected for now and we will be making further application to the judge at the appeal ruling hearing as we continue to fight for change.”