Cameron Hill: Four jailed for Hatfield county lines killing

Cameron Hill worked for a drugs operation at the time of his death, jurors heard

Four people have been jailed for the killing of a rival drug dealer in a "ferocious" revenge attack.

Cameron Hill, 23, was lured to a flat and stabbed in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, in 2019, Cambridge Crown Court heard.

Najiib Hasan, 24, of Penge, south-east London, was sentenced to a minimum of 23 years for murder.

Christy Bishop, 39, Nicholas Pitts, 40, both of Hatfield, and Nickell Moore, 25, of Cobham, Surrey, were jailed for manslaughter.

All four were convicted by a jury last month, following a second trial, after a previous trial was abandoned during the first coronavirus lockdown.

Najiib Hasan travelled from London as part of a planned attack on Cameron Hill

Judge David Farrell said it was a case which showed "the evils and dangers of Class A drug dealing".

He said Hasan and Moore were brought in to "assist" Saleh Alhindi, the head of a county lines drug-dealing operation, and his associate Suber Ismael.

"They took you to accompany them on a trip to Hatfield to exact revenge on a drug runner of another county lines drugs operation, because he had robbed another runner of his mobile phone," said Judge Farrell.

The group, who had at least three knives, along with masks and gloves, were driven by Pitts to a flat in St Peters Close on 10 June.

Drug addict Bishop, who lived at the flat, then "lured" her drug dealer Mr Hill there, under the pretence of obtaining drugs, "knowing full well he was going to be attacked," Judge Farrell said.

When Mr Hill arrived, he was immediately set upon and stabbed 11 times, and left to bleed to death.

A neighbour called 999 and Mr Hill later died in hospital.

(L-R) Christy Bishop and Nicholas Pitts, both drug addicts, assisted Nickell Moore (right) when he and the others arrived in Hatfield

Hasan and Moore changed out of their clothing at Pitts' home in Stockbreach Road, later disposing them in London.

The trial heard Mr Alhindi and Mr Ismael, who were seen on CCTV with Hasan and Moore in Hatfield, "fled the country and have never returned".

Sentencing Hasan, of Queen Adelaide Court, Judge Farrell said: "I am sure that you had a knife and stabbed him or encouraged and assisted others to do so.

"This was a ferocious joint act clearly done with the intention of killing."

Moore, of Between Street, who was sentenced to 10 years, had come to the plan late, the judge said, adding he was not sure that Moore had a knife.

Pitts, who must serve 12 years, "helped and encouraged" the attack but had not known that Mr Hill would be killed, Judge Farrell said.

Bishop, who was sentenced to six years, had not expected the men to arrive and had not planned the attack, but was pivotal in bringing Mr Hill to the scene, the court heard.

Judge Farrell expressed his sympathy to Mr Hill's mother, Natalie Smith, and commended her on the dignified way she had behaved over the course of two trials.

Cameron Hill was stabbed to death in St Peters Close

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