Bodmin murder trial: Man guilty of rugby player murder

Michael Riddiough-Allen, 32, died after he was stabbed on 30 April 2023

A man has been found guilty of murdering a rugby player in Cornwall.

Jake Hill, 25, stabbed Michael Riddiough-Allen, 32, outside Eclipse Nightclub in Bodmin on 30 April 2023.

Chelsea Powell, 22, from Bodmin, was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter, but guilty of perverting the course of justice.

Tia Taylor, 22, also from Bodmin, initially denied three charges but pleaded guilty to manslaughter and perverting the course of justice.

The family of Mr Riddiough-Allen said his death had "opened our eyes to the growing problem in our society" of a rise in knife crime.

"This journey has given us the purpose and motivation to try to make a difference," they said in a statement after the verdict.

The family of Michael Riddiough-Allen said the presence of a knife was "the evil of that night"

"Whilst we are grateful for our justice system and its ability to uphold the laws of our society, today's verdicts are not a victory.

"There are no winners here. It is not just our family who lost someone they loved that night."

They said the families of Taylor, Powell and Hill had also been "torn apart by the evil of that night - the presence of a knife".

"With no knife the devastating events of that night would not have happened," the family said.

• How a decision to buy a £20 knife ended in tragedy

Jake Hill, 25, was found guilty of murder after a six-week trial

They said: "The presence and use of a knife turned to unmitigated violence, scarring injuries and haunting images that many will never forget.

"Michael watched that violence unfold in front of him, he felt a need to intervene to remove the threat and protect others. In this task, he lost his life."

Hill was arrested by armed police at the home of Tia Taylor hours after stabbing Mr Riddiough-Allen.

The attacker was hiding in a loft at Taylor's home and fell down through a hatch after officers raided the property.

Truro Crown Court previously heard Hill picked up a hunting knife he had hidden in a hedge as he left the club at about 03:00 BST.

Prosecutors alleged when a fight broke out between 15 revellers in the street outside the venue, Hill used it to either stab or slash six victims.

It was alleged both Taylor and Powell had joined in with the attack on Mr Riddiough-Allen.

Tia Taylor, Jake Hill and Chelsea Powell had been in the Eclipse nightclub before a fight started outside

Hill, from Bodmin, was found guilty of stabbing four other people in the same incident, but he was found not guilty of stabbing a sixth person.

Mr Riddiough-Allen, who was the fifth person to be stabbed, died at the scene after suffering a fatal wound to his stomach.

He was unarmed and had been trying to separate the various fighting groups when he was stabbed.

A six-week trial heard further allegations of attempting to pervert the course of justice against Powell and Taylor came from statements they gave to the police after the stabbings.

Jurors reached the verdict following several days of deliberation and a ruling from the judge that they could reach a majority decision.

A court sketch of Tia Taylor, Jake Hill and Chelsea Powell

Prosecutors dropped a murder charge against Taylor after she pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

A court order prevented the reporting of Taylor's pleas until after the verdicts for her co-defendants.

A bail application for Powell brought by her legal team at the end of the trial was refused.

'Make better choices'

Mr Riddiough-Allen's family, who have launched a trust aimed at tackling knife crime, said they wanted to raise awareness of the damage caused by carrying a knife.

"No good can come of it, only anger, hatred, loss and grief," they said.

"We aim to educate and to work collaboratively to tackle the root of the problem.

"To help our young people understand that a knife does not protect you or make you popular. To give them the skills and tools needed to make better choices in the future."

Det Con Emma Norrish, from Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "This has been a long and complex investigation and trial and we now await the sentencing of the three defendants.

"I hope the outcome reached today will begin to bring some closure to Michael's family and friends, and to the surviving victims."

The trio are due to be sentenced on 12 April.