The Jury: The real case behind C4's 14 and on Trial for Murder and where Jerome and Joshua Ellis are now
Here's what happened to the boys in the real caseThe Jury: 14 and on Trial for Murder is based on the real life court case of Jerome and Joshua Ellis, but what happened to them?
Jerome and Joshua are real life brothers who found themselves accused of murder in their teens.
They were hauled into court after stabbing their stepdad to death.
The Jury: 14 and on Trial for Murder is a television re-enactment of the brothers’ trial, using actors to portray them.
In the Channel 4 series, their names have been changed to Daniel and Luke.
Here’s what we know about the true case of Jerome and Joshua Ellis and where they are now.
The real case portrayed in The Jury: 14 and on Trial for Murder
In 2013, 14-year-old Jerome and Joshua Ellis, 23, were convicted after killing their stepdad, Neil Tulley, at the family home in Guildford, Surrey.
Neil, 54, had been living at the Cedar Way property with the brothers and their mother. Evidence presented during the trial suggested he was asleep, or almost asleep, on the sofa when the attack began.
The brothers armed themselves with kitchen knives and inflicted 65 separate areas of injury. Some of the wounds were described as severe injuries to the neck, with the court hearing that Neil was almost decapitated.
Jerome and Joshua fled after Neil’s death and went into hiding. They were eventually discovered by a bellringer hiding in a porch.
The brothers later admitted they were involved in Neil’s death but maintained that they were not guilty of murder. They said years of alleged violence and threats at home had eventually pushed them too far.
The brothers claimed they were frightened about what Neil could do to them, their mother and their siblings. The jury heard that Neil had previously threatened to kill Joshua and had attacked him with an axe.
He was arrested and charged with making threats to kill, although a jury later found him not guilty.
The prosecution acknowledged that the family circumstances were complex. However, prosecutors argued that self defence could not explain the killing because Neil was asleep when the attack happened.
Instead, the prosecution argued that the brothers had carried out a planned act of revenge. Their defence took a different view, saying they had reached the point where they could no longer cope.
Where are Jerome and Joshua Ellis is now?
The jury accepted that Jerome’s actions had been shaped by the abuse and circumstances he had lived through. As a result, he was cleared of murder and convicted of manslaughter by reason of loss of controls
At a later hearing at Guildford Crown Court, Jerome was sentenced to six years in detention.
Jerome has since been released and little is known about his adult life. He is understood to be living privately and away from the public glare.
Older brother Joshua, meanwhile, was found guilty of murder by the jury. At the sentencing hearing, the judge handed Joshua a life sentence with a minimum of 14 years.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Preston said outside court: “The sentence today reflects the severity of the crime and it is never an easy decision for the judge or jury to make with such emotive events to be considered.
When is The Jury: 14 and on Trial for Murder on next?
The four-part series uses original court transcripts and a jury of members of the public. Some viewers spotted a flaw in the format however, objecting to jurors discussing the case before all evidence had been heard.
The series began on Channel 4 on Tuesday 1 September 2026 and it continues tonight at 9pm (Wednesday September 2).
Episodes three and four will air next Monday and Tuesday evenings.
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