Cody Fisher: Two men jailed for life for murdering footballer in Birmingham nightclub dancefloor stabbing
Two men have been jailed for life after murdering a semi-professional footballer on a nightclub dancefloor in Birmingham.
Remy Gordon and Kami Carpenter fatally stabbed Cody Fisher on Boxing Day in 2022 after a minor altercation two days earlier.
Gordon will serve a minimum of 26 years, while Carpenter will spend at least 25 years behind bars.
During the trial, jurors were told that Mr Fisher had made brief and “unavoidable” contact with Mr Gordon’s back as he left a club in Solihull on Christmas Eve.
The 23-year-old – a former Birmingham City academy member who also played for Stratford Town and Bromsgrove Sporting – was stabbed in the chest at the Crane nightclub in Digbeth and died at the scene from a chest wound.
Cody Fisher. Pic: Bromsgrove Sporting FC
He was attacked with a weapon that had been smuggled through security, in what was described as a pre-planned “act of retribution” after the previous minor incident at a Popworld nightclub in Solihull.
Gordon and Carpenter, who had denied the charges against them, had blamed each other for the fatal stabbing and were convicted last month.
Judge Paul Farrer KC said Gordon believed he had been “disrespected” by Mr Fisher and that he sent messages about the encounter in a group chat within four minutes of leaving Popworld.
He then said that a group of three to four people – including Gordon and Carpenter – surrounded Mr Fisher at the Crane club two days later. The footballer refused to “come outside” with the group, who were wearing masks, and was then attacked.
The judge said the attack “lasted no more than 37 seconds,” and involved punches, kicks and “a blow to the face of sufficient force to fracture the back of Mr Fisher’s jaw, on both sides”.
He also said Mr Fisher was stabbed in his right thigh and that the assault only ended when Carpenter stabbed him in the chest.
“In short, this was a sustained attack on a man who was significantly outnumbered and stood little or no chance of defending himself,” he said.
The 23-year-old – who played for Stratford Town and Bromsgrove Sporting – was stabbed in the chest
Prosecutor Michael Duck KC previously told Birmingham Crown Court: “Cody Fisher it seems did little more than touch Remy Gordon’s back (on Christmas Eve). Remy Gordon was looking for an argument with somebody.”
Mr Duck also said Gordon was later captured on CCTV in a pizza takeaway restaurant “re-enacting the attack… and laughing while he did so,” and said that Gordon and Carpenter sought to evade arrest.
In a victim impact statement, Mr Fisher’s mother Tracey said the family’s “life sentences” started on the day he was killed, which she described as the “most heartbreaking day in all of our lives”.
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‘Never any forgiveness’
Addressing Gordon and Carpenter, she said there can “never be any forgiveness for what they have done to us”, adding: “It is as though I too was stabbed straight through the heart.
“I have seen myself go from the happiest outgoing person, to fighting the hell out of just getting through each and every horrendous, never ending, day, in the abhorrent knowledge that my youngest son, my best friend, is never coming home to sleep in his bedroom, the room that I still cannot enter even to this day.”
Jessica Chatwin, who was Mr Fisher’s girlfriend, told the court the 23-year-old died in her arms and added: “My life stopped that day, I live each day with enormous pain, loneliness and sadness.
“I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with Cody. Now I have to face the world without his love and guidance, something he always showed me while we were together.
“He was my strength in every situation and now I have to face it all alone.”
Police outside the Crane nightclub in Digbeth. Pic: PA
‘Our grief will go on’
Speaking outside the court after sentencing, Tracey Fisher said: “For us as a family, Cody will still not come home and we will forever live in the shadow of his senseless murder.
“I know that our grief will go on and we will continue with our life sentence, missing our child each and every day.”
Fellow defendant Reegan Anderson, 19, of no fixed address, was found not guilty of murder and not guilty of an alternative charge of manslaughter.
He was found guilty of affray and was bailed until a sentencing hearing after Easter.
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The Crane nightclub has since been permanently shut down after West Midlands Police said the venue posed “terrifying risks” to the public, with “blatant” drug use and “inadequate” security.
England and Scotland fans have found out where their World Cup group games will be played when the tournament kicks off in June.
England, who are in Group L, will begin their tournament against Croatia in Dallas at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 17 June. They will then go on to face Ghana in Boston at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 23 June and Panama in New Jersey, New York, at 5pm EST (10pm BST) on 27 June.
Scotland are in Group C, and their first match will be against Haiti in Boston at 9pm EST on 13 June (2am GMT the following morning).
They will go up against Morocco also in Boston at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 19 June and then Brazil in Miami at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 24 June.
Fans are expected to rush to sort their travel and accommodation plans now that they know where and when the matches take place.
Read more: Unapologetically political – a World Cup draw like no other
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England and Scotland learn World Cup fate
Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to find out if they will qualify.
Wales must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.
If they beat these play-off opponents, they will secure their place in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
However, Northern Ireland will also be vying to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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World Cup 2026 – who England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will play
Scotland and England now know who they will face in the group stage of the next summer’s world cup.
But the fates of Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Wales won’t be determined until they compete in pre-tournament play-off matches in March.
England are in Group L along with Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Their first match will be against Croatia, who beat them in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Pic: Reuters
Scotland’s first match will be against Haiti, in Group C.
Brazil and Morocco are the other Group C teams – both countries were also in the same opening group as Scotland in the 1998 World Cup in France.
Trump and Infantino at the World Cup draw
Wales have yet to find out if they will qualify as they must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, and then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.
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If they can overcome these play-off opponents then they will secure their place in Group B along with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. But Northern Ireland will also be vying and hoping to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw
The Republic of Ireland also need to get through the play-offs first and are paired against the Czech Republic for their semi-final. Should Ireland win that match, they will need to beat either North Macedonia or Denmark to get to the finals where an opening group containing joint hosts Mexico, South Africa and South Korea awaits.
This was a World Cup draw like no other. Crafted less for the teams but for one man.
The choice of venue. The creation of a new trophy. The closing music act.
Donald Trump was lavished with the adulation he craves by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and feels others unfairly deny him.
Knowing how much being overlooked by the Nobel Committee hurt the US president, there was Mr Infantino with FIFA’s newly-created Peace Prize to hand over. And a medal for Mr Trump to wear.
“This is truly one of the great honours of my life,” he said. “And beyond awards, Gianni and I were discussing this. We saved millions and millions of lives.”
This was all on the stage in front of an audience who turned up to find out who they will be playing at the World Cup.
England handed an undaunting route past Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Scotland paired with newcomers Haiti before tricky reunions from their last men’s World Cup in 1998 against Brazil and Morocco.
Pic: Reuters
But the show before the draw could even begin – presided over by Rio Ferdinand – took almost as long as a football match, at 87 minutes after the noon kick-off was delayed.
There was a walk of self-promotion to complete – “I guess they have to wait” – before taking his seat in the Kennedy Center. Or the Trump Kennedy Center as the president takes to calling the venue picked 1.5 miles from the White House.
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England manager Thomas Tuchel reacts to draw
“It was falling apart,” he said, delaying the walk into the auditorium. “And now it’s, it’s pretty much back.”
Mr Infantino could only watch on, beaming, at his friend.
“We had a dead country,” Mr Trump went on, “and now we have the hottest country anywhere in the world”.
There was the awkwardness of being reminded, before receiving the peace accolade, about threats to launch military strikes on Venezuela to stop the drugs trade.
“I did settle eight wars, and we have a ninth coming,” he swatted away the question. “Which nobody’s ever done before. But I want to really save lives. I don’t need prizes.”
But FIFA knew how much he wanted more gold for the collection with the prize.
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What draw means for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland
Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Pic: Reuters
Pic: Reuters
And for all the mockery and disdain targeted at FIFA, how many sports would relish having the US president spend several hours attending a procedural event determining the placing of teams in groups for a tournament?
How many would dish out the same flattery to secure direct lines to the leader of the nation staging their championship?
Many have benefited from Mr Trump’s stardust and swagger being attached to this spectacle.
Even Port Vale’s most famous fan – Robbie Williams – secured a walk-on role, exceeding his profile this side of the Pond.
And the Village People are reaping the rewards of becoming the unlikeliest of Trump hype acts.
The festivities ended with eyes fixed back up to the presidential seating and the YMCA dance being performed.
This was an afternoon that dispelled any pretence that FIFA keeps a distance from politics. It was unapologetically political. But few speak out in the FIFA world as the redistributed wealth keeps rolling back in their direction.
It would be easy to forget this isn’t entirely America’s World Cup. They’re sharing hosting with Canada and Mexico.
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‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw
And eventually the spotlight was ceded to their leaders – very briefly – as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney drew out their countries’ names.
But it did live up to FIFA’s mantra that football can unite the world.
The neighbours were brought together here on a snowy day in Washington. And tensions – often stoked by Mr Trump with Canada and Mexico – thawed in the name of football.
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