Thetford: Man jailed for killing David Lawal in county lines stabbing

David Lawal died after being stabbed on the roadside in Thetford, Norfolk

A teenager has been jailed for killing a man in a case connected to county lines drug-dealing.

David Lawal, 25, from London, was found with stab wounds at the side of Brandon Road, Thetford on 3 October 2019, and died at the scene.

Amrik Singh, 19, of Abbey Lane in Newham, east London, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs at an earlier hearing.

He was jailed for six years at Norwich Crown Court.

Five people, including Singh, were originally charged with his murder, but as a result of this plea in November, the charge against the other four was dropped.

Amrik Singh, who lived in the Mill Meads area of Newham in east London, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of David Lawal

County line gangs are urban drug dealers who sell to customers in more rural areas via dedicated phone lines.

Norfolk Police said officers were called shortly after 19:00 GMT when officers on patrol discovered members of the public giving first aid to a man with stab wounds, with Mr Lawal pronounced dead at the scene shortly before 20:00.

A post-mortem examination found he died from a single stab wound to the neck and upper chest.

The force said it quickly emerged that the death had "all the hallmarks of being connected to county lines activity", with Singh and his victim members of rival groups selling crack and heroin in Thetford.

Police originally charged five people with murder in connection with the death

Three others were jailed after they admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs at an earlier hearing.

Elie Saba, 35, of Goddards Way, in Ilford, was sentenced to eight years; Iddi Zito, 19, of Essex Street, in Forest Gate, east London, and Lisa Desousa, 23, of Nightingale Road, north London, were both sentenced to three years and three months.

Det Ch Insp Phill Gray, who led the investigation, said: "Detectives examined thousands of pieces of evidence, witness statements and CCTV footage to try to piece together what happened in the hours leading up to Mr Lawal's death and immediately afterwards.

"I am pleased we have brought Singh, Saba and their fellow defendants to justice. However, I want to remember that David Lawal, who we know was also dealing drugs in Thetford, was left to die at the side of the road.

"He didn't deserve his life to end this way and his family and friends are left to mourn his loss and try to come to terms with the painful truth about how he lived his life."

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