Man murdered boxing coach with broken bottle

Reece Newcombe had been watching England play at the World Cup before he was killed

A man has been found guilty of the murder of a celebrity boxing coach he stabbed in the neck after threatening to “ju-jitsu" people on a night out.

Ross Hamilton had been “spoiling for a fight” and armed himself with a broken bottle before he plunged it into the neck of 31-year-old Reece Newcombe, in Richmond in south-west London, the Old Bailey heard.

Mr Newcombe, who had a young daughter with another on the way, said: “I’m dead – he’s done me,” before he collapsed in the early hours of 26 November 2022.

Jurors heard Hamilton had three previous convictions for assaulting girlfriends and a taxi driver. Sentencing was adjourned to 11 October.

Ross Hamilton was called "murderous and moronic" by Reece Newcombe's family

Prosecution barrister Louis Mably KC told the jury that Hamilton, 34, was "heavily intoxicated" and had been behaving in an "aggressive and unpredictable manner".

He was seen to approach an 80-year-old man and try to intimidate him, and threw beer over a passing car.

Hamilton went into the Viva nightclub, where he was involved in a number of low-key altercations, the court heard.

"He seemed to be goading people", said Mr Mably, "doing karate kicks on the dance floor and putting his arm around people and behaving aggressively towards them."

'The fight he was looking for'

Mr Newcombe, who was a friend and trainer of ex-footballer and TV pundit Ian Wright, had been to watch an England World Cup football match at a fanzone in Richmond and then went to the same nightclub.

At some point he had taken drugs, the court heard, but he had been having fun and nothing had happened to him until the the fight, which took place after a confrontation in a side street near the club.

“The sad truth is there was no need for this fight to happen – it was an event that was fuelled by intoxicated aggression. It was not a case of the defendant defending himself, but of two people willing to fight.

“The defendant had armed himself with a weapon and got the fight he was looking for.”

Hamilton was caught on camera before the murder threatening to "ju-jitsu" people

Mr Newcombe's family said in a statement: "Reece in life was the shining light at the centre of our loving family.

"That light was brutally snubbed out by the murderous, moronic actions of Ross Hamilton, a callous bully.

"Reece was only able to enjoy being a father to his baby daughter for five months. His second daughter whom he would never get to see was born the following summer of 2023.

"We, his family, are forced to navigate this cruel existence without him as we walk forward in life completely heartbroken."