Ipswich murderers of Raymond James Quigley get 40 years

Alfie Hammett, 19, who stabbed Raymond James Quigley to death in broad daylight, was handed a minimum jail sentence of 24 years. 

Joshua Howell, 19, who the prosecution said threatened Mr Quigley’s friends with a machete to stop them intervening, was given a minimum sentence of 20 years.

The pair have already served 411 days in custody which will be deducted from their sentence.

In his sentencing, Judge Martyn Levett said that due to Howell being a month under 18 at the time of the killing he was to be "detained at his majesty's pleasure".

The court previously heard the killing was allegedly motivated by a “deep-rooted gang rivalry”.

Mr Quigley, 18, was from Wymondham (Image: Suffolk Police)

Hammett, of Larkhill Rise, Rushmere St Andrew, and Howell, of Wellington Street, Ipswich, both denied murder and possession of a weapon in a public place but were both found guilty of all charges on January 26.

Statements were read from both Mr Quigley's mum Margaret and father Raymond describing their devestation. 

A member of the public gallery then shouted out “He killed Joe!”.

The judge warned the public not to speak.

The court has previously heard the murder of Joe Dix was part of the "deep rooted gang rivalry" and Quigley was seen in the public gallery during the trial of the defendants for the teenager's killing. 

Defence barrister Stephen Rose spoke in mitigation on behalf of Hammett and stressed the defendant’s young age and urged the judge to consider the limited ability of a teenager to maturely evaluate consequences.

Judge Martyn Levett highlighted following the mitigation that Hammett had come from a “relatively good home where he had supportive parents”.

Police at the scene in Westgate Street last January. (Image: Charlotte Bond, Newsquest)

Chris Henley KC spoke in mitigation on behalf of Howell.

He said that Joshua Howell did not know the victim at all and that he had essentially played the role of a “useful idiot” and that he did not “for a minute think he was going to be convicted of murder”.

He said he lied in court to explain his presence at the scene because he was under pressure from others in prison to not tell the truth.

Mr Henley also revealed that Hammett and Mr Quigley were once close childhood friends and had known each other since the age of six but had split into opposing gangs.

Raymond James Quigley died in January 2023. (Image: Charlotte Bond, Newsquest)

The pair’s trial started on December 11 as Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, alleged the pair confronted Mr Quigley in Westgate Street on the afternoon of January 17 last year.

Alfie Hammett (left) and Joshua Howell (right) have been found guilty of murder (Image: Suffolk Police)

Mr Quigley had travelled to Ipswich from his home in Wymondham, Norfolk, that day to meet two friends and he was walking through the town with them when they encountered Hammett and Howell at about 3.35pm.

Mr Jackson told the court Hammett attacked Mr Quigley while Howell wielded a machete to provide an "intimidating presence", preventing any of the friends Mr Quigley was with from intervening.

The cordon in the town centre following the attack (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Hammett and Howell were wearing face masks and had their hoods up at the time of the attack, before Howell chased one of Mr Quigley's friends at knifepoint into the nearby branch of JD Sports, allowing Hammett to kill Mr Quigley.

The victim managed to stagger across the road to get help and collapsed in a nearby shop but, despite the efforts of paramedics and members of the public providing first aid, he died at the scene.

A Home Office post-mortem examination concluded he suffered four stab wounds to the torso, with two wounds to the chest and abdomen proving to be fatal.  

The court heard the attackers immediately fled in opposite directions after the attack – Howell ran off up Providence Street, while Hammett ran off in the opposite direction back across the Cornhill.

They were arrested four days after the stabbing and charged two days later.

Westgate Street was cordoned off following the stabbing of Raymond James Quigley. (Image: Charlotte Bond, Newsquest)

The court was previously told that Hammett was part of the Third Side Norwich gang, Howell was part of the IP3 or Nacton gang in Ipswich and Mr Quigley was part of the Only The Money gang in Norwich.

Hammett did not give evidence during the trial, but his defence disputed that he was the suspect seen fleeing the scene in CCTV footage of the area.

Alfie Hammett did not give evidence during the trial. (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Howell had said he met with Hammett for a drug deal and taken a blade with him for protection, but said he did not see the attack happen.

He said after making the deal, he had only walked through town with the suspect in the CCTV footage to show him the way to a kebab shop in Westgate Street.

Howell claimed the attack happened spontaneously, without his prior knowledge.

The sentencing also included two separate crimes.

Hammett was given a further 12 months to serve concurrently for an assault in the Mojo nightclub in Norwich on 11 September 2022.

A fight broke out beside the club toilets at 2am after Hammett and a group began fighting with another group.

The court heard a club doorman was left with a black eye, bloody nose and the fight went outside.

Hammett ran off and there was a chase and he then punched one of the officers who tried to detain him and finally a tazer was used.

Hammet said he didn’t realise it was the police who were the ones chasing him.

Howell did not receive a further sentence for the robbery of a taxi driver using a machete.