Teenage killer let out to play football

A TEENAGER who stabbed a man to death is being allowed out of youth custody every day to play football for Arsenal, it was disclosed yesterday.

Kevin Dennis, 17, has been granted special permission to carry on training as a member of the club's youth side and playing in matches.

Dennis and his brother Desmond, 18, were both convicted in February of killing Simon Geary, 23, in Highbury, north London. An Old Bailey jury was told that Kevin, who was 16 at the time of the incident last September, stabbed Mr Geary six times after a long-running family feud. Desmond was said to have passed the knife to Kevin. Both brothers were found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 30 months' youth custody.

The Prison Service said it never discussed specific cases, but a spokeswoman said there was a long-running policy of allowing young offenders out to help their education or employment prospects.

'One of the service's commitments is to help inmates lead law-abiding lives after release. Helping them prepare for a career after their release is one aspect of this job.'

Henry Bellingham, Conservative MP for North West Norfolk, said the case 'made a mockery of the system', and he would take up the matter with the Home Secretary.