A teenager acquitted of murdering another boy at a drugs den was sentenced today for conspiring with the dead youth and another man to supply heroin and cocaine.

Koy Bentley, who lived in Watford with his family, was stabbed twice in the chest while in the living room area of the flat at Rainbow House in Water Lane on the afternoon of June 5 last year.

The 16-year-old was given a 12-month youth rehabilitation order.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was last month found not guilty by a jury of the murder of 15-year-old Koy Bentley at a squalid flat in Water Lane, Watford.

It was alleged by the prosecution at St Albans crown court that he had stabbed Koy to death during a sudden disagreement in June 2017.

But when he gave evidence, the youth said it was not him who had stabbed Koy, but 22-year-old Abdi Ali, who had been in the flat that afternoon and was part of the conspiracy to supply class A drugs from the flat they had “cuckooed.”

At the teenager’s trial Ali, who was called as a witness for the prosecution, told the jury it was the 16 year old who had carried out the killing.

Earlier this month Ali was jailed for 16 months after admitting conspiring to supply heroin and crack cocaine from the flat.

He also admitted perverting the course of justice.

The 16-year-old, who had also admitted to being part of the conspiracy, today appeared for sentencing.

Judge Andrew Bright QC told the boy the circumstances of the conspiracy, which "very probably" involved Koy Bentley, were "deeply troubling.”

The judge said they were making a “significant amount of money” dealing in heroin and crack cocaine.”

Judge Bright said that although Ali was the “main player” responsible for getting the drugs and bringing them to the flat, the 16-year-old wasn’t far behind.

“Your role was a significant one,” he told the teenager and he went on: “It’s truly shocking that a young man as young as you should be involved in such serious crime.”

At the time Koy died, the teenager had been just 15.

He had already accumulated 10 convictions for 17 offences, including one for supplying cocaine and heroin when he was 14.

The judge said that in sentencing the teenager, he had to bear in mind his age and the fact that he had been in custody on remand for eleven and a half months, which was the equivalent of a two year custodial term.

Judge Bright said the 16 year old had shown a willingness to engage with the Youth Offending Service while in custody and he said: “There is nothing to be gained from the public’s point of view for keeping you locked up any longer.”

The judge said he wanted to keep the teenager “on the straight and narrow” and said he hoped that once at liberty he wouldn’t return to the world of gangs and drug dealing.

In addition to the rehabilitation order, the boy will also be subject to 12 months supervision with a 30-day community reparation requirement.

He will also be subject to a three-month home curfew to make sure he is at home at night and he will also go on a 10 day programme to address his cannabis misuse.