In Ipswich, in the United Kingdom, 19-year-old Alfie Hammett is facing a life sentence for the brutal gang-related street slaying of 18-year-old Ray Quigley in January of last year. What makes this case even more disturbing is the fact that Hammett was on bail for another violent attack at the time of the murder.
Prior to the fatal stabbing, Hammett had been living in Suffolk after being banned from Norwich under police bail conditions following an assault that occurred five months earlier. This earlier offense involved the assault of two police officers and three door staff during a street fight. Despite being arrested and charged for this offense, Hammett was out on bail at the time of the murder.
The murder of Quigley is described as part of a vicious gang feud that has engulfed the region. The victim, a member of a gang called Only The Money, or OTM, was targeted by Hammett and his accomplice, Joshua Howell, who were associated with the rival gangs.
During the murder trial, it was revealed that Quigley had been associated with OTM, and the killing was described as a premeditated act motivated by deep-rooted rivalry between the two gangs. The court heard how Hammett and Howell confronted Quigley on a busy shopping street in Ipswich, wearing face masks and with hoods up, before fatally stabbing him.
The brutal attack resulted in Quigley sustaining four stab wounds to the torso, with two of the wounds proving to be fatal. He staggered into a greetings card shop where he bled to death. The incident was captured on CCTV footage.
As the trial unfolded, Hammett’s father, Shaun, revealed that he suspected his son’s involvement in the murder after checking a tracking device he had placed on Hammett’s moped. During the trial, it was also disclosed that Howell purchased a one-way ticket to Nairobi after the murder.
Both Hammett and Howell were convicted of murder and carrying offensive weapons, with Howell also being found guilty of threatening another person with a bladed article. They are set to be sentenced next month, with the judge indicating that a mandatory detention for life will be the likely outcome.