Masked teenage killers who stabbed 18-year-old rival gang member to death in horrific high street attack are convicted of murder

Two masked teenage killers who stabbed to death an 18-year-old rival gang member during a horrific attack on a high street were today found guilty of murder.

Alfie Hammett, 19, and Joshua Howell, 18, brutally murdered Raymond James Quigley, known as James, in Ipswich, Suffolk, on January 17 last year.

James, from Wymondham, Norfolk, was attacked by violent thugs at 3.35pm while he was walking with two friends in Westgate Street.

Ipswich Crown Court heard how Hammett and Howell were masked, hooded and armed with large knives when they ambushed their victim.

Hammett ran straight towards James before stabbing him four times in the chest and stomach, two of the wounds proving fatal. James stumbled into the auto shop before collapsing and dying.

Frightened bystanders, including customers and employees of a nearby Starbucks, tried to help him before police and emergency services arrived.

Howell, brandishing a machete, chased one of James’ friends, but they managed to escape into a nearby sportswear store.

The court heard how the pair planned the attack and met at Suffolk New College before targeting James and his friends.

Prosecutors said the motive was likely to be “deep-rooted gang rivalry” between two groups from Norwich, Norfolk.

James was involved with a gang called “OTM”, which means “Only Money”, while Hammett, formerly of Norwich, was involved with a rival gang in the city called “3rdside”.

Prosecutors said Howell had links to the Ipswich-based Nacton gang, also known as IP3, which formed “a certain level of collaboration” with 3rdside.

Hammett, of Larkhill Rise, Rushmere St Andrew, and Howell, of Wellington Street, Ipswich, both denied murder but were unanimously found guilty by a jury after a trial lasting more than five weeks.

Hammett did not testify, but his defense team denied that he was the man who attacked James and was referred to as “Man One” during the trial.

Howell testified and denied any connection with IP3.

He insisted he only first met “The First Man” on the day of the murder, when he sold him marijuana earlier that day while carrying a machete for his own protection.

Howell said that after the deal was sealed, he walked around town with “Man One” to show him the way to the Doner German kebab shop on Westgate Street.

Howell said the attack “happened spontaneously” without his knowledge.

He justified drawing the machete by saying he was afraid of being attacked by another group.

The jury rejected his claims and were also satisfied that the police evidence proved Hammett was indeed “the man”.

Last month Sean Hammett told a court how he suspected his son was involved in the murder after checking a tracker he had secretly installed on his moped.

Sean Hammett confronted his son after learning James had been stabbed to death in the busy city centre.

He brought up the topic again the next day while they were riding in his car together and told the teenager he knew where he had parked his moped.

Hammett claimed he had gone to see his girlfriend but “looked a little shocked” when his father revealed he had placed the tracker on the bike.

Police later recovered information from the hidden device showing the moped had been abandoned in Bishop’s Hill, allowing them to use CCTV to trace the route taken.

Describing the conversation, Mr Hammett said he asked: “I hope you have nothing to do with what happened in the city this afternoon.”

His son, who was sitting on the bed playing on the computer, reportedly claimed he had gone into town to buy a boxing helmet, although Mr Hammett told the court he did not see any equipment.

Both were also found guilty of possessing an offensive weapon and Howell was also found guilty of threatening another person with a bladed object.

They were remanded in custody until sentencing on March 11 to allow reports to be drawn up against them.

Judge Martin Levett told the pair: “The sentence I must impose is a mandatory life sentence.”

The judge told Hammett: “I am completely in the dark as to your background and the consequences.”

Addressing Howell, he said: “The jury rejected your version. I also think it’s important for me to know more about you.”

The judge warned them not to return to court for sentencing, which will not take place until March 11 while the court awaits speakers.

The attack and the movements of the suspects before and after the incident were recorded on CCTV cameras.

Detectives reportedly worked tirelessly for four days to identify and locate Hammett and Howell before arresting them on January 21. Two days later they were charged with murder.

Lasharne Beaton testified in court that she was with a friend at a nearby Starbucks when she rushed to help after two people ran past.

Referring to James’ top being “completely soaked in blood”, she said: “He walked into the store because he couldn’t run anymore and then leaned over the counter and passed out backwards.”

“He stopped breathing and I tried to find a pulse. He was motionless. I started to panic and then started giving him CPR.”

Earlier in the trial, the court heard Howell transferred £1,000 into the account and bought a one-way plane ticket to Nairobi.

Prosecutors said he did not have the phone at the time of his arrest, and Hammett had returned it to factory settings.