Norwich, England – 19-year-old Alfie Hammett, who was recently found guilty of the murder of Raymond James Quigley, appeared in court again this week in connection to a previous incident. He pleaded guilty to a charge of assault resulting in bodily harm for an incident on September 11, 2022, less than five months before Mr. Quigley’s death.
As part of his bail conditions for the Prince of Wales incident, Hammett, a member of the city gang Third Side, was prohibited from entering Norwich. This led to his relocation to Ipswich, where he and his gang ally Joshua Howell were involved in the murder of Mr. Quigley, a member of the rival gang Only The Money.
The deadly rivalry between the two Norfolk gangs has resulted in multiple fatalities, including the murder of Joe Dix from Third Side, who was stabbed to death by members of Only The Money in January 2022.
After the violence in September 2022, Hammett was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm, affray, and assaulting emergency workers. He appeared in Norwich Crown Court wearing a blue and white Nike tracksuit and pleaded guilty to the ABH charge, with the other offenses set to lie on file.
Hammett is still awaiting sentencing for Mr. Quigley’s murder, and it is likely that the sentence for the Prince of Wales Road offense will be combined and sent to the crown court at Ipswich for one comprehensive sentencing. The decision will be made by Norwich’s resident judge Alice Robinson and Judge Martyn Levett at Ipswich.
Hammett and Howell were convicted of murder at Ipswich Crown Court after a trial that lasted over five weeks. Mr. Quigley, from Only The Money, was attacked by Hammett, while Howell prevented the victim’s friends from intervening by wielding a machete. The victim was stabbed four times in the torso before fleeing and ultimately bleeding to death.
Furthermore, the court heard about the rivalry between the Norfolk gangs and its connection to the murder of Mr. Dix, as well as the absence of evidence linking Hammett or Howell to Mr. Dix’s murder.
The case underlines the tragic impact of gang violence and the inability of authorities to prevent deadly feuds from claiming more lives. Such incidents highlight the need for greater intervention and support in at-risk communities to prevent further senseless loss of life.