Norwich, England – Alfie Hammett, a 19-year-old who was recently convicted of the murder of Raymond James Quigley, was back in court this week to face charges related to a previous incident. Hammett pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm following an altercation on Prince of Wales Road in September of last year, less than five months before Mr. Quigley’s death.
As part of his bail conditions for the Prince of Wales incident, Hammett – a member of the city gang Third Side – was prohibited from entering Norwich, prompting his move to Ipswich. It was there that he and his gang ally, Joshua Howell, carried out the attack that resulted in the death of Mr. Quigley, who was part of the rival gang Only The Money. This incident marked the second murder linked to the deadly rivalry between the two Norfolk gangs, with another member of Third Side having been killed in a similar attack the previous year.
Following the violence on Prince of Wales Road, Hammett faced charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm, affray, and assaulting an emergency worker. In a recent court appearance, he pleaded guilty to the ABH charge, while the other offenses were set aside. His sentencing for the Prince of Wales Road offense is expected to be addressed in conjunction with his pending murder sentencing.
Hammett and Howell were convicted of Mr. Quigley’s murder after a trial that lasted over five weeks. The prosecution claimed that the pair sought out Mr. Quigley while he was in Ipswich, and then carried out a brutal attack, leaving their victim to bleed to death.
The court heard that the ongoing feud between the two Norfolk gangs was the catalyst for the attack, which bore connections to a previous murder committed by members of the same groups. While evidence was found linking Hammett to the site of the previous murder, there was no direct proof that he or Howell were involved in that incident.