Keani Hobbs and boy, 16, found guilty of killing Vilson Meshi, in Basildon, after throwing marine distress flare into his car

Vilson Meshi, 30, died in temperatures of up to 1,300C in the back of his Audi A4 on February 26 last year in Pincey Mead, Pitsea.

Keani Hobbs, 18, of Stagden Cross, Pitsea, and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had previously stolen six flares from a boat at Wat Tyler Marina and were roaming the streets of Basildon at 2am looking for more things to steal.

The teens, then 17 and 15 years old, opened the passenger side door of the Audi and removed the keys and Mr Meshi’s iPhone.

During a four-week trial at Basildon Crown Court, jurors were told Hobbs said “oh f*** it” before lighting the flare and throwing it into the car.

Mr Meshi, who had travelled down from Manchester to see two of his children, was found in the locked car the following afternoon. He had died from smoke inhalation.

Hobbs and the boy denied manslaughter and stealing the flares. During the trial, the boy gave evidence, blaming Hobbs.

Hobbs did not give evidence but denied any involvement in the incident.

The pair were convicted on the basis that they knew, or could have foreseen, that someone was in the car.

Flare thrown into car

Speaking outside court, Det Chief Insp Stephen Jennings, said Mr Meshi’s family were pleased with the verdict.

He said: “They are happy with the decision but they are obviously still devastated by Mr Meshi’s death.

“The jury came to the right decision, it’s the right result for the family.

“What took place was a very foolish and dangerous act that cost Vilson Meshi his life. The basis of the conviction is that they knew, or could foresee, the likelihood of him being in the car.”

He added: "This was a complex investigation and we have been determined to find the truth behind the events that led to Mr Meshi’s tragic death. 

“Keani Hobbs and the teenage boy consistently denied any involvement and blamed each other during the trial. 

"They have shown no remorse for their actions.” 

Vilson Meshi

Hobbs and the boy were allowed to sit in the well of the court during the trial but were moved to the dock when the jury came back after three days.

Hobbs wiped away tears before they came into the room, but neither she nor the boy showed any emotion as the unanimous verdicts were read out.

Judge Patricia Lynch said she will sentence the pair tomorrow and remanded them both into custody.

The Echo asked for reporting restrictions to be lifted on the 16-year-old boy. Judge Lynch she said she will consider the request before sentencing.

Mr Meshi’s parents, Mr Islam and Mrs Drita Meshi, said: “We had three children who lived in the United Kingdom. We now have two as our son, Vilson, was cruelly, unnecessarily, and mindlessly killed at the young age of 31 years, in a moment of unexplainable criminal madness whilst he slept in his car in Pitsea, Essex on the morning of February 27, 2016. 

“He was waiting to see two of his three children later that day but he never got to see later that day or his children again. 

“Vilson moved to the UK in 2000 and created a successful business employing 12 people. 

“But because of the stupid actions of those responsible for his death, there are three children that will grow up without their father, a wife without a husband, a brother and sister without their brother, a mother and father without their son and 12 people without jobs. 

“He was a good boy, never in trouble, a loving and caring man who would help anyone that needed it. 

“He was very popular and had a love of cars. He belonged to a GT car owners club. 

“His funeral was held in a small town in Albania with over 4,000 mourners attending, many from the UK. This was the biggest funeral ever held there, which goes some way to showing how much he was loved in life and missed in death. 

“Vilson is dead below the ground but we are dead above the ground, our hearts are broken. 

“For us, this tragic event has been made so much more difficult to deal with as we live in Albania and have had to regularly come to the UK over the last 18 months. 

“We have sat quietly, patiently, calmly, with dignity, for four weeks listening to evidence in the trial of our son’s killers. 

“No matter what the verdict, it will never bring our son Vilson home or make us feel better about what happened that February morning in 2016. 

“What happened has changed our lives forever and probably the lives of the two defendants’ families as well. 

“We would like to thank Essex Police, Brentwood Major Investigation Team, our family liaison officer Pc Steve Judd - who has been there throughout the last 18 months including at the trial to explain everything to us and reassure us when we needed it - as well as the Crown prosecutors, who have all worked so hard to find closure and justice for us as a family.”

Paul Scothern, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “The pair denied stealing marine distress flares from Wat Tyler Marina, Basildon, then several days later they threw a lit flare into the car where Mr Meshi was sleeping outside his partner’s home.

“A marine distress flare burns at an incredibly high temperature and the consequence of throwing a lit flare into an enclosed space such as the car where Mr Meshi was asleep was shocking. Tragically he died as a result.

“We were satisfied when reviewing the case that there was sufficient evidence that both were jointly responsible for the theft of the flares and also for Mr Meshi’s death. We believed there was no deliberate intention to kill Mr Meshi and that the appropriate charge against them both was one of manslaughter, rather than murder.”

During the trial, jurors heard covert police recordings featuring the boy’s father and other relatives discussing the case and how to pin the blame on another teenager.

Statements were also read out in which he claimed Keani’s mother, Melanie Hobbs, had burnt the pair’s clothes and thrown Mr Meshi’s car keys and phone off a bridge on Canvey.

Charges of perverting the course of justice were dropped before the trial due to insufficient evidence.