A COMMON thread runs through the three Colchester murder trials heard in 2021.
All three trials involved defendants or victims caught up in the world of illicit drugs.
From a runner who stabbed a man to death over his brother's drug debt, to a burgler who strangled his relative in a bid to steal guns, four murderers received life sentences for their horrific crimes in Colchester this year.
Drug runner stabbed man over unpaid debt
In March, Reece McHutherson, 20, was sentenced to life imprisonment and will serve a minimum of 20 years behind bars after stabbing Murdoch Brown to death.
FULL STORY: Everything we learned from murder trial into father's fatal stabbing
Mr Brown, 31, was stabbed several times in the leg in Buffett Way, Greenstead, Colchester, in May 2019.
During a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, it was the prosecution case that Reece McHutcherson, 20, was ordered to stab Murdoch’s brother Robert over an unpaid drug debt.
Prosecutors described co-accused Toyn Williams, 29, as the organiser of the attack, arguing Jay Dice, 23, acted closely with him to see the stabbing carried out.
But the jury rejected this argument, clearing Williams of murder and manslaughter.
Dice was cleared of murder, while the jury failed to reach a verdict on a manslaughter charge.
The prosecution decided not to pursue another trial against Dice and Judge Patricia Lynch QC passed a not guilty verdict.
McHutcherson had tried to argue he acted in self-defence when the two brothers pulled knives on him and tried to rob him.
But in sentencing him, Judge Lynch said McHutcherson had arrived in Buffett Way armed with a knife.
In respect of his drug dealing, Tracy Ayling, prosecuting, said: “We submit he is not a vulnerable person coerced or pressurised into what he did, and given his evidence in this trial it was a lifestyle and career choice.
“He gave evidence about how much money he could earn, and we submit he was trusted to travel with both Williams and Dice to learn the ropes of a new job.
“He told you in evidence it was a very busy night and his view was that he could make about a £1,000 a week.”
Judge Lynch said the background of the murder was rooted in “the misery of the drugs world.”
Dice, of Mayville, Leytonstone, was convicted of perverting the course of justice.
Williams, of Winchester Road, Hale End, East London, was convicted of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and perverting the course of justice.
Kaley Hodgkinson, 31, of Charles Pell Way, Colchester, was cleared of a charge of assisting an offender, but convicted on one count of perverting the course of justice.
Burglar strangled relative in bid to clear drug debt
In October, a killer who strangled his elderly relative to death in a "brutal" burglary was sentenced to life imprisonment.
FULL STORY: Killer who strangled 83-year-old pensioner in burglary gets life sentence
Leighton Snook, 28, strangled and beat 83-year-old Donald Ralph at the victim’s home in Aldham, Colchester, in December last year.
He enlisted the help of 17-year-old Tyler Love, hatching a plan to steal firearms from his relative Mr Ralph.
He hoped to sell them on to clear a debt he claimed he had accrued with drug dealers.
Ipswich Crown Court heard Snook was “the confidence trickster”, who used the fact he was known to Mr Ralph to gain entry to his bungalow, where he lived alone.
At a sentencing hearing, Judge Martyn Levett said: “Once inside, you lowered your face mask and within a matter of moments you grabbed hold of him, punched him and strangled him to death.”
A pathologist identified three fractures to Mr Ralph’s cheek bone area, as well as abrasions to his neck, throat and back.
Judge Levett added: “DNA matching his was found on your clothing, particularly the collar area, suggesting close contact during a struggle.”
Love’s role in the burglary was to “act as a lookout, provide backup for the violence if necessary, or to reinforce any threat of violence by showing a knife if needs be”.
Two guns, a Ruger self-loading .22 calibre rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun, were stolen from Mr Ralph’s house and the pair fled the scene in their victim’s Volvo.
Duo stabbed rapper to death in violent raid
Later that month, two men who stabbed an aspiring rapper to death after kicking down his front door received life sentences.
FULL STORY: Killers who stabbed aspiring rapper in violent raid handed life sentences
Alinjavwa Siwale, 22, also known as Mr Essex and Swizzino, died in the kitchen of his Colchester home on December 11 last year after suffering stab wounds.
Mr Siwale's brother Suwi was also at the home and suffered a stab wound to his head.
He jumped over a neighbouring fence to get help and was taken to hospital for treatment.
When police arrived on the scene, officers established the front door had been forced open and a search of the Greenstead area began.
Just after 3am, a call was made to the police from a house on Teal Close, reporting someone who had been knocking at the back door of the property for several hours.
An officer from the Essex Police Dog Unit was first on scene, and he detained 25-year-old Sheldon McKay in the garden of the property.
His bloody clothes were immediately seized and he was arrested on suspicion of murder.
McKay was later forensically linked via his clothing to the DNA of the victim Alinjavwa.
Further enquiries with McKay’s associates led to the arrest of 20-year-old Phoenix Lee.
Both men, of no fixed address, were charged with murder and with committing grievous bodily harm with intent.
They were found guilty on all charges following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, despite claiming they acted in self defence.
CCTV showed the pair forcing the front door open at around 12.12am on the morning of the murder.
Just three minutes later, Suwi left the property to get help from a neighbour, while Alinjavwa lay fatally wounded in the kitchen.
Lee will serve a minimum of 24 years, McKay a minimum of 23 years, before they can be considered for parole.
Judge Morgan said: “These violent offences took place in the victim’s home address.
“It is undisputed that from that address Jav Siwale was from time-to-time dealing drugs, but that is no justification for what was to happen in the early hours of December 11 last year.
“Jav Siwale was also a talented musician according to those who knew him, indeed in the days leading up to the murder, Jav had been posting music lyrics on social media.
“Some of those lyrics however described a falling out between himself and Phoenix Lee.
“The lyrics referred to drug dealing and the use of knives to cause serious harm and death.
“Phoenix Lee was specifically named in the lyrics to the rap ‘Everyone Thinks They’re On Swizz’.
“That was the street name of Jav. The lyrics also refer to ‘chasing Repo’, that being the street name of Lee and ‘splashing him’ which was a reference to stabbing him.”
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