A convicted murderer smirked and pulled faces at a camera as he was sentenced for possessing an imitation firearm and burglary committed before he was sent to prison. Teenager Joseph Jeremy was jailed for life with a minimum of 24 years after being convicted of the murder of Ryan O'Connor.
Jeremy, now 19, along with Lewis Aquilina, was found guilty of Mr O'Connor's murder, which took place in Newport on June 10, 2021. Both were involved in knife and gang culture in Cardiff and proudly posed with weapons in self-filmed videos and were involved in intimidation or violent attacks which were posted on social media.
Mr O'Connor was walking home from his brother's house in Alway when he was confronted by Jeremy and Aquilina who stabbed him to death and robbed him of a Gucci bag he was carrying. As he lay dying on the pavement, with passers-by doing their best to save him, the murderers drove past and laughed as Mr O'Connor's life ebbed away. The father-of-one died as a result of his injuries. As well as being convicted of murder Jeremy and Aquilina were also found guilty of robbery. Kyle Raisis was found guilty of Mr O'Connor's manslaughter and also robbery while Ethan Strickland was also found guilty of robbery.
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A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday heard Jeremy and William Davey, 20, stole a Peugeot from a house in King George V Drive on April 15, 2020, and were driving along Newport Road when a police car tried to pull them over. The driver Davey refused to stop and sped at 60mph in a 30mph zone and drove through a red light at 60mph. At one point he swerve the car from side to side and drove the wrong side of a carriageway.
The car was eventually brought to a stop and the occupants were arrested. A black backpack was discovered containing an imitation firearm along with a magazine containing rounds. When this was forensically analysed the DNA of Jeremy was found on the weapon. Jeremy and Davey was also found to have been involved in a burglary on the same evening when he stole a woman's handbag from an address in Tennyson Road in Penarth.
Jeremy, of HMP Swinfen Hall, pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm and two counts of burglary and Davey, of Clos y Cadno, admitted dangerous driving and two counts of burglary. In mitigation Ruth Smith, for Jeremy, said her client had been diagnosed with autism and ADHD and had been subject to "horrific bullying" which led him to carrying knives and weapons in order to protect himself. She said he didn't attempt to use the imitation firearm which was kept secured in a bag. The barrister said the defendant was undertaking a number of courses so he will have skills upon his release from prison after his lengthy sentence.
Kevin Seal, for Davey, said his client was a teenager at the time of the offences and "wanted to be one of the boys". He said the defendant had not reoffended since the offence and had stayed out of trouble.
The Recorder of Cardiff, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, sentenced Jeremy to a total of four years and three months imprisonment to be served alongside his current sentence. Davey was sentenced to two years' detention in a young offenders' institution suspended for two years. He was made subject to a curfew for six months and must complete a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 200 hours of unpaid work.
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