A teenager accused of murder said he was giving directions to another man before knives were drawn and a man stabbed, a court has heard.

Alfie Hammett, 19, and Joshua Howell, 18, have both been charged with the murder of Raymond James Quigley on January 17 last year in Westgate Street, as well as possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

Hammett, of Larkhill Rise, Rushmere St Andrew, and Howell, of Wellington Street, Ipswich, both deny the charges and are on trial.

Giving evidence on Wednesday, Howell said he met with a suspect, described by police as Male 1 and who the prosecution says is Alfie Hammett, in the grounds of Suffolk New College to supply him £30 of cannabis.

Ipswich Star: A cordon in place in Westgate Street last January.A cordon in place in Westgate Street last January. (Image: Charlotte Bond, Newsquest)

He said he had taken a machete with him for protection as he did not know Male 1. 

He said he had previously been chased and threatened by gang members who thought he was in a gang, because he had friends who were.

Howell told the court he had previously been kidnapped and held ransom by a gang in London in a case of mistaken identity.

During his evidence, the teenager said Male 1 had asked where German Doner Kebab in Ipswich was.

The teenager had to supply another person with cannabis in Ipswich's Buttermarket so decided to stay in the company of Male 1 as they walked there. 

Ipswich Star: Raymond James Quigley died after being stabbed in Westgate Street in January last year.Raymond James Quigley died after being stabbed in Westgate Street in January last year. (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)

He was unable to find the customer and so continued showing Male 1 directions which meant they both went to Westgate Street together and encountered Mr Quigley with his two friends.

Howell said had never seen or heard of the victim before the incident.

The court then heard that Howell had thought one of Mr Quigley’s friends was running at him as Male 1 attacked Mr Quigley, so he unsheathed his machete and chased him down the street.

He pursued Mr Quigley's friend into JD Sports until he felt there was no longer a threat of retaliation.

During the listing of agreed facts, the court heard from the prosecution that Alfie Hammett is a member of the Third Side Norwich gang.

During a police search of Hammett’s bedroom the order of service for the memorial of Joe Dix, of Mile Cross, Norwich who was murdered in January 2022 and was also a member of the Third Side Gang. 

Ipswich Star: An order of service in memory of Joe Dix, who was stabbed to death in Norwich, was found in Alfie Hammett's home.An order of service in memory of Joe Dix, who was stabbed to death in Norwich, was found in Alfie Hammett's home. (Image: Submitted)

There was also a picture of Hammett taken from a phone seized by police which showed him at Vale Green in Norwich which had become a memorial site for Mr Dix.

Third Side operates in opposition to OTM, or Only The Money, a Norwich gang for which Mr Quigley was a member of the court heard.

During the trial of Joe Dix the prosecution produced evidence which showed the three defendants convicted of his murder were affiliated with Only The Money, the court heard. 

The court heard from the prosecution that Howell is a member of the IP3 or Nacton gang operating in Ipswich which is associated with the Third Side gang.

It was stated there is no evidence that Quigley, Hammett or Howell were involved in the murder of Joe Dix.

The court also heard that whilst there is an association between gangs in Norwich and Ipswich there is no evidence of any direct contact or association between Howell and Norwich gangs and there is no evidence of any voice call contact between Howell and Hammett.