Gucci bag murder: Three jailed over knife killing and robbery

Joseph Jeremy, Lewis Aquilina and Kyle Raisis were jailed on Wednesday

Three men have been jailed after a 26-year-old was murdered and robbed for his designer Gucci bag.

Ryan O' Connor was stabbed five times as he walked through Alway, Newport, last June.

The men, armed with hunting knives, had travelled from Cardiff in a stolen car looking for someone to rob, Newport Crown Court was told last month.

Two men have been jailed for murder and a third for manslaughter. They have also been sentenced for robbery.

Joseph Jeremy, 18, of no fixed abode, has been jailed for life for murder serving a minimum term of 24 years. He will also serve 12 years for robbery concurrently.

Lewis Aquilina, 20, of Riverside, Cardiff, has also been sentenced to life in prison for murder, with a minimum term of 22 years. He will also serve 12 years for robbery concurrently.

Ryan O'Connor, 26, from Alway, in Newport, died from stab wounds after being attacked near his home

Kyle Raisis, 18, of Canton, Cardiff, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for manslaughter. He was also sentenced to eight years for robbery which he will serve concurrently.

A fourth defendant, Ethan Strickland, 19, of Caerau, Cardiff, was found guilty of robbery and has yet to be sentenced. A fifth man was cleared of all charges.

Known to many as Apple, Mr O'Connor was stabbed through the heart and lungs and fractured his hand during the attack in which witnesses saw his assailants kicking him before they fled back to their car.

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He was a random victim of the gang, who were arrested by police in Cardiff following a car chase.

Mr O'Connor bled to death on the pavement in his brother's arms.

Prior to the attack, Mr O'Connor had been walking home after visiting his brother and girlfriend to show them the Gucci bag he had bought earlier that day.

Joseph Jeremy, 17 at the time, was the youngest of the group and his fellow defendants said he was "excited, bubbly" after the stabbing.

The court heard he had bought knives using his father's driving licence as ID, as he was too young to buy them himself.

The jury was shown images of Joseph Jeremy, Ethan Strickland and Kyle Raisis brandishing knives

Traces of Mr O'Connor's blood was found on Aquilina's trainer and trousers.

He claimed he was trying to kick the blade out of Jeremy's hand, describing Mr O'Connor in court as "that poor boy".

He drove the car to Newport after stealing it from a house in Usk, Monmouthshire, in the early hours of the morning with a fifth defendant, who was cleared of murder, manslaughter and robbery.

Aquilina told the court he was "a car thief but not a murderer".

The 20-year-old had tried to strangle the police officer who arrested him, the trial was told.

The defendants were stopped in a stolen car following a police chase

Raisis was first to be arrested and police cameras showed him stumbling and falling as he tried to outrun officers.

He chose not to give evidence in court.

A fifth defendant was cleared of murder, manslaughter and robbery charges during the trial.

'It has destroyed us'

Mr O'Connor's family and friends were at the court for the hearing.

In a victim impact statement, Lauren Flood, the partner of Ryan's brother Danny, said he was deeply loved and had been cruelly taken from them.

Ms Flood said his murder had "ripped the heart of out of the family which can never be filled".

She added: "It has destroyed us all. We cannot explain the grief we feel."

Family and friends of Ryan O' Connor were at court for Wednesday's sentencing hearing

Ms Flood said Ryan died in his brother Danny's arms, an experience which has changed him.

"I don't expect he will ever be the same person again."

His baby son was born shortly after Ryan was murdered.

She told the court the killers had denied his son the chance to grow up with his dad and described how the little boy calls out for him whenever people come into the room.

"We miss him dearly," she added.