Teenager wrongly jailed over Telegram group chat says 'it's a new beginning' after release

• Ademola and his mum Taiwo spoke with ITV Granada reporter Tasha Kacheri following his release from prison

A man who had his conviction overturned after being sentenced to eight years in prison for a crime he did not commit says walking out a free man was "surreal" but says there are ''many kids in jail that should not be there''.

Ademola Adedeji, known as Ade, 21, was convicted in 2022 of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm after a police officer falsely identified him as a boy in a nine-second drill rap video and claimed he was a gang member.

On his release from prison on Wednesday 15 January, Ade was embraced by his mum, with the pair holding each other tightly.

In an exclusive interview with ITV Granada Reports, Ade's mum Taiwo said she felt like she was "dreaming" when she saw her son walk out of the prison gates.

"I just feel like i'm dreaming. I kept on pinching him. I was like 'is that Ademola, is that Ademola?'" she said.

"It is so good to have him back home."

The initial trial at Manchester Crown Court heard how Ade's friend John Soyoye was murdered in Moston, Manchester, in 2020.

The pair were childhood best friends whose families were close and had attended church together.

A few days after John was murdered, Ade was invited to a memorial group chat on the messaging app Telegram, which shortly turned to talk of revenge.

Ade sent 11 out of more than 300 exchanged between several other people – one in particular a postcode of the whereabouts of someone he thought was responsible for his best friend's murder.

Shortly after the messages were sent, three incidents of violence took place. However, Ade had not taken part, nor was he present at any location where an attack took place.

The prosecution said Ade and the others were part of a gang, and a jury convicted him of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm.

He was sentenced to eight years in prison - spending three years behind bars.

Ade said: "No matter how long you have got, you picture yourself walking out of those gates and that's how you get by and for that day to actually come, it is surreal.

"I packed my stuff so quick, I was ready to go, but I didn't want to go unless my mum was there.

"It took a lot for me to walk out of those gates because it's a new beginning."

He added: "It was not a conspiracy to commit murder. It was kids just talking.

"I was 17 at the time. I didn't know the power of text messages.

"You could say something that you don't mean, but if you're young and black and perceived to be a gang member, then it's a crime."

Ade's conviction was secured on evidence including the group chat, a picture of Ade holding cash to his ear and a nine-second video of a boy in a blue bandana which the prosecution alleged was Ade and proof of gang membership.

In his appeal, it was proved that it was not Ade who appeared in the video - with the participant appearing in court himself to set the record straight.

Taiwo said: "It's different when you have a child that has always been in trouble when they're in school and all that and you'll be thinking, you would get in trouble.

"But this is a child, this is my son, the boy I raised. He's been a good lad so this happening to him, I thought, this cannot be real."

Ade was one of 10 young men convicted of either conspiracy to commit murder or grievous bodily harm (GBH) and was the only person to have his conviction overturned.

Ade says that being back home is a "bittersweet feeling.

"It is good to be back, but at the same time, I feel like why is it me?" he said.

"Because since I've been in prison, I have met so many amazing people who have got similar cases to mine, who have done nothing wrong and are doing big sentences for crimes they have not committed.

"I think to myself why am I the only one who is out right now?"

Keir Monteith KC, representing, Ade said: "As Ade told me, inside [prison], he has seen things that children should never see. To this date no one has apologised for his wrongful incarceration.”

Ade is now determined to finish his law degree to help others who find themselves in a similar situation to his.

"There are so many kids in jail that should not be there and I feel like it is my turn to help these kids," he added.

• Roxy Legane from Kids of Colour, a Manchester-based charity that supports people from diverse backgrounds, gave her reaction to Ade's release