Hartlepool: Man who prowled streets before stabbing ‘defenceless’ grandfather ‘for people of Gaza’ jailed
A terrorist who stabbed a stranger to death in an attack motivated by the conflict in Gaza has been sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 44 years.
Ahmed Ali Alid, 45, an asylum seeker who claimed to be from Morocco, would have killed more people if he had not been cornered by armed police while seeking out more victims on 15 October, according to Cleveland Police.
Alid was found guilty last month at Teesside Crown Court and the judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said he “did not have the courage to admit his guilt in court” and had no history of mental illness.
He had attempted to kill his housemate, a Christian convert, then prowled the streets of Hartlepool until he came across Terence Carney, 70, stabbing him six times in the chest, abdomen and back in a terrorist attack.
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Judge describes terror attack
Footage of his arrest shows armed police shouting for Alid to “get down on the ground”. Red laser dots from police guns then cover his body as he appears to ignore their requests.
After he was detained, he told police the attack – a week after the Hamas attacks on Israel – was “for the people of Gaza” and he had wanted to kill more victims.
“I swear by Allah if I had a machine gun and I had more weapons that they would be in thousands,” he reportedly said during his police interview.
Social media pictures showed Alid visiting various UK cities. Pic: Gardham/socialmedia
Alid attacked two female officers
At the end of the interview, Alid attacked two female interviewing officers, grabbing one of them and wrestling her to the ground while yelling “Palestine” and “Allahu Akbar [god is great]”, causing his solicitor to dial 999.
Prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford KC told Teesside Crown Court he was seeking a whole life order for the killing on the grounds it was a murder “done for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, racial or ideological cause”.
Although Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb agreed they were terror offences, she did not impose a whole-life term.
The court heard how the former pastry chef had travelled from Morocco to Spain in 2007 and had spent time in 13 different European countries – including Italy and Germany – before arriving in Middlesborough by ferry from the Netherlands in 2020.
The judge said Alid was not challenged by border force personnel upon his arrival.
He claimed asylum and spent the next three years living in a hotel in Hull and then state-funded accommodation in a terraced house in Hartlepool, waiting for his claim to be processed.
Selfie images showed him on a beach and in the city centres of Newcastle, Birmingham and London.
Sources say it is unclear what his real name and date of birth are. He spent time in Algeria where his mother, father and sisters all lived.
His last call on the evening before the attack was to Algeria, although investigators do not believe he had help with the attack.
Pic: Gardham/social media
Victim was ‘effectively defenceless’
Alid’s housemate Javed Nouri, 31, an Iranian asylum seeker, described how he found Alid laughing and watching videos on his phone following the 7 October attacks by Hamas in Israel.
Mr Nouri alerted police on 13 October and said Alid would sit in the kitchen with a knife and give him “bad looks” after realising he had converted to Christianity.
The police concluded it was the matter of those responsible for the house to manage, according to the judge.
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Sentencing for murder and attempted murder
Alid broke into bedroom with two kitchen knives
Two days later, when Mr Nouri was asleep, Alid broke into his bedroom at around 5am brandishing two kitchen knives and stabbing him in the chest.
He managed to kick Alid away and run for the door but was then attacked from behind and stabbed in the face, before grappling with Alid and getting him into a headlock.
Another housemate came to his assistance and they bundled Alid out of the room and sat with their backs against the door as he kicked at it, attempting to get back in.
During a 999 call, a man is heard shouting “Jesus Christ” while another person, believed to be Alid is heard saying “Allahu Akbar” multiple times.
The handleless blade of a knife found after the attack. Pic: Counter Terrorism Policing North East
‘Random targeting of lone man in the street’
Alid went onto the street and was captured on CCTV footage holding a knife with a 20cm blade in the air, walking along and continuing to say “Allahu Akbar”.
He approached Mr Carney after a few minutes, who was out on a morning walk, and confronted him.
CCTV footage showed Alid stabbing Mr Carney a number of times while his victim was “effectively defenceless” and crying out “no, no,” prosecutor Mr Sandiford told the court. The judge said Alid showed Mr Carney “no mercy”.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb sentenced Alid to 44 years and 52 days for murder, taking into account the 213 days already spent on remand.
He was also sentenced to life, with a minimum term of 19 years and 52 days, for attempted murder, but this will run concurrently with the longer sentence.
There will also be no additional time served for the assault of the two interviewing police officers, she said.
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Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, head of counter-terrorism policing north east, commented: “Alid attacked Javed Nouri and was then out seeking other victims and unfortunately crossed Mr Carney’s path. It was a horrific, unprovoked attack, and Mr Carney unfortunately stood no chance at all.”
“If it hadn’t been for Cleveland Police and the swift response prompted by the calls from Mr Nouri and others in the property, I genuinely believe that we would have been looking at more victims, more injuries, and I do think more people could have lost their lives.”
Mr Carney’s family described him as a “beloved husband, father and grandfather” and thanked Mr Nouri and the other housemates for giving evidence in the trial as “the voice of our loved one, when he was unable to speak out for himself”.
They added in a statement: “We would not want anyone else to have to go through what we have had to go through over the last six months, and what we will continue to go through for the rest of our lives. For us, things will never be the same again. We can take some small comfort in knowing that justice has been served.”
Victims of grooming gangs and modern slavery are being denied compensation by a government scheme because of their criminal records, Sky News has learned.
Analysis of official figures by Sky News’ Data & Forensics team shows more than 11,000 victims of crime over the last decade have been denied payouts because of their unspent convictions, including children.
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority can award money to victims of violent crime, including sexual abuse.
It is the only government compensation scheme for victims – for those unable to work due to injuries, the money can be vital.
But, if an applicant has a criminal record, they are automatically refused compensation with limited exceptions.
Those with unspent convictions sometimes receive reduced sums.
Sky News has found that at least 130 children with criminal records have received reduced awards over the last 10 years, including 50 victims of sex abuse, four victims of brain damage, and one child who lost sight in an eye.
This rule on unspent convictions is based on the idea that public funds should only compensate blameless victims of crime and not, for example, a gang member who was injured in a fight.
But many argue the policy punishes those who have been forced to offend by exploiters, as well as victims of child sexual abuse.
‘I was frustrated that I wasn’t being believed’
Arthur Sherry, 43, from Perranporth in Cornwall was regularly abused by his babysitter from the age of five, including suffering rape.
In 2008, he reported it to Devon and Cornwall Police, alongside two other victims. He alleges the police did not believe him, and charges were not brought against his abuser.
Arthur Sherry, who was abused as a child, says he was denied compensation because of his criminal record
Arthur became angry and descended into addiction as a “coping mechanism”, becoming suicidal, and was repeatedly arrested for minor offences, such as making false calls to the emergency services.
“I wasn’t getting support from any agencies, and no one asked me, ‘Why is this man ringing the emergency services all the time?'”
“It was a cry for help. I was frustrated that I wasn’t being believed.”
Eventually, Arthur’s abuser, Shaun Burton, was convicted of multiple offences against children, including 11 counts of indecency with a child in relation to Mr Sherry.
But when Arthur, who suffers from complex PTSD, subsequently tried to make a claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in 2013, it was rejected because of his criminal record and because he submitted his application beyond CICA’s time limit.
He was not allowed to appeal the decision.
Arthur, aged 12 in the picture, was regularly abused by his babysitter, Shaun Burton, from the age of five
Many survivors of grooming gangs have criminal records due to being exploited and coerced.
While the government recently announced plans to disregard child prostitution convictions for these victims, many are urging authorities to go further and pardon all related offences.
Former victims’ commissioner Dame Vera Baird said: “They were not exercising their own free will and voluntarily committing crime, so there should be a discretion to look at that and say, ‘No, that wasn’t their fault’.
“They should get compensation for all the evil that was done to them by that gang.”
In 2022, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse recommended that the government amend the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme so that “applicants with unspent convictions are not automatically excluded where offences are likely to be linked to the circumstances of their sexual abuse as a child”.
The government has refused to act on this recommendation.
However, Labour MP Sarah Champion has tabled an amendment to the upcoming Victims and Courts Bill, hoping to implement it, as well as widen eligibility to the scheme.
“Victims are seen as running a cannabis farm and get a conviction, before it actually turns out that they were a victim of modern slavery.
“These people, who are very clearly recognised as victims and survivors, aren’t getting the money that’s owed to them. The system is broken and the ministers need to get rid of it.”
‘I was frustrated that I wasn’t being believed,’ Arthur tells Sky News’ Alice Porter
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A government spokesperson said: “Last year, more than £164m was paid out under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to victims, and we are going further by removing the time limit for civil personal injury claims and doubling Home Office funding for services supporting adult victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.
“Changes to the way we compensate victims have been considered by successive governments, and our priority must always be to treat all victims of violence equally.”
Devon and Cornwall Police said: “Tackling sexual offending is a key priority for Devon & Cornwall Police and we are working hard to bring offenders to justice.
“We take reports of all sexual offences seriously and will carry out thorough investigations into reports, looking at all viable lines of enquiry.”
Nathan Gill was at Manchester airport, about to board a flight to Russia, when accepting bribes finally caught up with him.
Gill, the former leader of Reform UK Wales and a one-time member of the European Parliament, who on Friday was jailed for 10-a-half-years, was stopped by police before boarding and had his phone seized in 2021.
While they interrogated him, his home in Anglesey was raided, with detectives discovering more electronics and cash piles of €5,000 (£4,400) and $5,000 (£3,800) respectively.
Nathan Gill being questioned. Pic: Met Police
The evidence on Gill’s phone would damn him – he was in contact with a pro-Russian politician in Ukraine, Oleg Voloshyn, and had agreed to boost pro-Russia viewpoints in exchange for money.
Voloshyn would dictate the statement, and Gill would repeat it – in some cases, almost word for word – in the media or the European Parliament.
In one instance, Gill appeared on the now-banned Ukrainian TV channel, 112 Ukraine, which was known for its pro-Russian stance.
In the interview, he was critical of the Ukrainian decision to open criminal proceedings against Viktor Medvedchuk, the owner of the television channel and a personal friend of Vladimir Putin.
Nathan Gill. Pic: Met Police
Speaking to the outlet, he said he was “very concerned” about the investigation, and wondered whether it was meant to silence “opposition politicians”.
Prosecutors said messages on Gill’s phone showed that this was at his paymaster’s instruction, with Voloshyn offering a “reward” if he would say that it was unacceptable to persecute a person for their political convictions.
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Voloshyn also offered the MEP €2,000 (£1,750) if he would express concern that Mr Medvedchuk could no longer mediate with Russia on Ukraine’s behalf, the court heard.
He added that “V” – understood to be Mr Medvedchuk – did not believe Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had “true intentions to pursue a peace agenda”, prosecutors said.
Bundles of cash were recovered from Gill’s home. Pic: Met Police
Sure enough, Gill appeared on 112 Ukraine saying it was “very sad” that Mr Medvedchuk felt he no longer had Mr Zelensky’s backing to act as a mediator with Russia, and suggested that using him “would be a sensible thing to do”.
The messages traded in innuendo, referring to the exchange of “Xmas gifts” or “postcards” instead of money.
But as the pair grew more comfortable with each other, they bargained more explicitly, with the sum of “£5k” quoted for Gill’s work.
Dominic Murphy, head of Counter Terrorism Command at the Met Police, said Gill had also offered access to other MEPs.
“This is where we get into that slightly odd situation where it feels very much like a real effort to undermine democracy here,” he said.
“This is Nathan Gill reaching out to individuals that he knows, who are Brits, who might be willing to be paid to go and make speeches.”
Commander Murphy declined to name names, but said there was an ongoing investigation and that other people had been spoken to.
None of the pro-Brexit MEPs Gill allegedly approached have been interviewed under caution.
Pic: Met Police
Police confirmed there was no evidence to suggest Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was involved.
Gill was stopped at Manchester Airport on 13 September 2021, under schedule 3 of the Counter Terrorism and Borders Security Act 2019.
He offered police no explanation for his actions and answered no comment in a March 2022 police interview.
But the 52-year-old is believed to have had financial problems.
Mr Murphy added that while Gill appeared to have pro-Russian sympathies, he was primarily motivated by money.
The ex-MEP has been jailed for 10-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to eight counts of bribery between December 2018 and July 2019.
Following an investigation by counter-terrorism police, officers said they believe Gill likely took a minimum of £40,000 in cash and was offering to introduce other British MEPs so they could be bribed.
Voloshyn was picked up by the authorities on a trip to the US in 2021, which enabled the FBI to discover his end of the conversation.
He is now believed to be in Russia, but has been sanctioned by the UK government over allegations of trying to destabilise Ukraine.
Nathan Gill pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery over pro-Russian statements. Including to media outlet 112 Ukraine. Pic: Met Police
He remains wanted in both Britain and Ukraine.
A Reform UK spokesman said: “Mr Gill’s actions were reprehensible, treasonous and unforgivable.
“We are glad that justice has been served and fully welcome the sentence Nathan Gill has received.”
Mr Farage, the Reform UK leader, said: “An investigation into Russian and Chinese influence over British politics would be welcome.”
The MP for Clacton previously described his former colleague as a “bad apple” and said he was “shocked” after Gill pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery.
He said: “Any political party can find in their midst all sorts of terrible people.
“You can never, ever guarantee 100% that everyone you meet in your life, you shake hands with in the pub, is a good person.”
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