TWO men have been convicted of killing Oxford accountant Joshua Harling. 

Nathan Braim, 20, stabbed 19-year-old Mr Harling on the night of July 22 last year when their rivalry came to a head in a ‘brief, but vicious’ street fight in Thame lasting one minute.

After a month-long trial at Oxford Crown Court, Braim, of Broadwaters Avenue, Thame, was found guilty of murder, carrying a weapon in a public place and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, with close friend Benjamin Eyles.

Elyes, 19, of Monks Hollow, Marlow Bottom, was also found guilty of the lesser charge, manslaughter, for his role in Mr Harling’s death.

Here is a timeline showing how events unfolded: 

July 18

  • Joshua Harling is said to have threatened a member of a group at a social gathering in Elms Park, Thame 
  • Nathan Braim and Benjamin Eyles told a friend they planned to 'jump him' and were spotted in the evening searching for him, armed with 5ft metal poles 
  • Despite efforts to track him down they didn't see him until four days late

​July 22 

  • Braim and Eyles drove to Thame in Eyles car 
  • They drove past Mr Harling's green VW Polo more than once at around 7pm
  • The trio had a 'short but vicious' street fight on Cotmore Close, lasting around one-minute where Braim stabbed Mr Harling in the heart
  • He didn't collapse and ran back to his car 
  • Braim chased after him and smashed his back windscreen
  • Mr Harling drove into Essex Road and then Chinnor Road 
  • He lost control of his car, crashed into a row of parked cars and landed on the roof 
  • At around 7.05pm, Mr Harling was found in an upside-down vehicle on Chinnor Road

Oxford Mail: Stock image of young man on the phoneStock image of young man on the phone

  • 999 were called to a 'serious crash' and Thame Fire Station said the road had been closed off to deal with the incident 
  • It was discovered that the teenager had a fatal stab wound in his chest, about 10cm deep
  • Despite desperate attempts to save his life, Mr Harling died at 7.24pm
  • Thames Valley Police launched a murder investigation
  • Residents in the area were told not to leave their homes after Thame became the centre of a murder probe 
  • The murder weapon was never found but prosecutors say that Eyles got rid of the knife 

On the map click on the pinpoints for more information. Pinpoints do not show the exact location of each incident, only the street. 

July 24 

July 26 

  • Braim is charged with murder

July 27 

July 29

July 30 

August 11 

  • Inquest opens into the death of Joshua Harling. At Oxford Coroners Court, the head coroner for the county, Darren Salter, said Mr Harling died on Chinnor Road after being stabbed in the evening. In the opening statement he said: “I understand the circumstances to be that his death was sadly confirmed at the scene at 7.24pm by attending paramedics.”

September 29

  • Eyles was charged with murder and conspiring to commit GBH with intent 

September 30 

  • At Oxford Magistrates’ Court Eyles speaks only to confirm his name, age and address. He was wearing a grey fleece and black jogging bottoms with stripes down the side. During the hearing he winked at his crying father and nodded to the district judge who told him that the charge was so serious it could only be heard at a crown.

October 9

  • Braim was charged with conspiring to commit GBH with intent and possession of a bladed article

January 4 

  • The trial at Oxford Crown Court begins 

February 16

  • The judge takes jurors through the evidence of a 15-year-old boy, who the Oxford Mail is choosing not to name. He was a passenger in Joshua Harling's car the night he died. 

Here are extracts from his statement: 

'There was a group of lads on this close, I saw a couple of them go around this corner.' 

We got in the car ad he looked back and said 'oh no' and said 'I can't be doing this, I've got too much cash in the car to be f***ing around'. 

He stopped the car and got a bat from the side, he explained 

"He approached them and like squared up to them.

"One of them stabbed the other and there was one more bloke behind him, the other one backed away and the one that stood behind came forward. 

"One ran back and kicked in the back window.

Oxford Mail: Stock image showing the shadow of a young manStock image showing the shadow of a young man

"He stalled it, started it got to about there and said I've been stabbed, stabbed, you need to call 999. I was like alright. I didn't really ever get involved in that, I did smoke weed with him.

"We were just smokers so there was a lot of cash in the car, I don't know why so it wasn't my business to ask him. 

"He started swearing and said he was going to pass out so I tried to grab the steering wheel. 

"We came down here, on the corner and flipped, that's it. The whole thing lasted a minute, maybe two." 

February 17: 

  • Jurors start deliberations

February 18 

February 26 

-

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on news@nqo.com or 01865 425 445.