Norfolk gang feud led to teen's death in Ipswich, court told

Raymond James Quigley suffered four stab wounds to the torso in the attack before running into a shop, in the town's busy Westgate Street retail area, where he bled to death.

Alfie Hammett, 19, and Joshua Howell, 18, have gone on trial at Ipswich Crown Court accused of his murder, on January 17 this year.

The court was told that Mr Quigley, from Wymondham, was associated with the Norwich gang Only the Money while Hammett was from the Third Side gang, also from the city.

Howell, meanwhile, was said to be associated with the Nacton, or IP3, gang, from Ipswich.

Emergency services respond to the incident on January 18 (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Quigley and Hammett were said to have known each other before the killing and prosecutors say the rivalry between the gangs may have led to Mr Quigley's death after he and two friends bumped into the defendants in the town centre.

In his opening statement, Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, said of Mr Quigley: “You will hear that prior to his death he had some association to a gang in Norfolk called Only the Money or OTM.

“It was probably his association with that gang that led to his untimely death. But on that afternoon all that he was doing was simply with his friends walking in the busy shopping area.

“He had no idea of the tragic events that were about to unfold.”

Mr Jackson told the jury a motive for the alleged murder may have been in the “deep rooted gang rivalry” between Only The Money and the Norwich and Ipswich gangs with which the defendants were linked. But he said the precise event which led to the killing isn’t immediately clear.

He added that tensions were high earlier in the year between the gangs.

He described the attack in detail, recounting how, as Mr Quigley walked down Westgate Street with two friends, they were confronted by Hammett and Howell.

 “When those two groups came together and Mr Quigley was spotted, Alfie Hammett and Joshua Howell went towards him.

“Alfie Hammett, having pulled a knife, got to Mr Quigley first and he began to attack and stab James Quigley.

“Joshua Howell, who had also pulled out what you may think is a machete, and so armed and providing an intimidating presence prevented any of Mr Quigley’s friends from intervening to help."

He said Howell chased one of those friends at knife point into a nearby branch of a JD Sports, making sure the friend could do nothing to help.

This allowed Hammett to kill Mr Quigley, Mr Jackson alleged.

Forensics officers in Westgate Street (Image: Newsquest)

After the incident, Mr Jackson said both Hammett and Howell ran off in different directions and disposed of their clothing and the knives they had used.

“Both were arrested later and when both were given an opportunity to give an account to the police both declined to do so,” he added.

Mr Jackson said that a later Home Office examination showed Mr Quigley sustained a total of four stab wounds.

Addressing the jury, he said: “The two fatal wounds were to his chest and abdomen and you’ll hear such is the severe force that was used by Alfie Hammett when he inflicted the fatal chest wound it penetrated Mr Quigley’s breast bone and two of the major blood vessels of the heart, causing rapid and massive blood loss leading to unconsciousness and eventually death.”

CCTV footage was played to the jury, showing Mr Quigley running into Cards Direct where Mr Jackson said he died.

In a tribute shared after his death, Mr Quigley's family said: "James (RJ) has now been laid to rest. He was and always will be a beloved son, brother, uncle, grandson and nephew, as well as a much loved friend. He will be missed forever."

Hammett, of Larkhill Rise, Rushmere St Andrew, and Howell, of Wellington Street, Ipswich, have also been charged with possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

They deny both charges. The trial continues.