A judge has begun giving direction to the jury in the trial of two teenagers accused of murder.

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. 

The trial has been running for over a month and Ipswich Crown Court has heard Quigley suffered four stab wounds to the torso and was killed due to a “deep rooted gang rivalry”.

The court has heard that Hammett is part of the Norwich Third Side gang, Howell is part of the Ipswich IP3 gang and Mr Quigley was part of the Norwich Only The Money gang, or OTM.

However, Howell has said he is not affiliated with IP3, also known as the Nacton gang. 

Judge Martyn Levett said jurors must remember that just because those accused might be gang members does not mean they are violent or they have committed any of the charges they face. 

The prosecution has argued the pair met in Suffolk New College and later ambushed Mr Quigley with his friends, with Howell using his machete to prevent the friends from helping Mr Quigley as he was stabbed to death by Hammett.

Howell’s defence is that he met with the man who stabbed Mr Quigley, who police have called Male 1 who the prosecution say is Hammett, to sell him cannabis and took a machete in case Male 1 attacked him.

The court heard Male 1 then asked Howell where the German Donner Kebab shop was in town and Howell then walked towards the food shop with him.

Male 1 then unexpectedly attacked Mr Quigley when they encountered him on Westgate Street and Howell drew his machete out of fear in the commotion according to the defence.  
Hammett has not given evidence but his defence disputes the claim that he is Male 1.

Judge Levett also went over the testimony from Hammett's father, after tracking data from a device he had attached to his son's moped was used as part of the prosecution case.

The jury is expected to begin deliberating their verdict this week.