Grieving mum of Norfolk gang feud victim on his killing

Alfie Hammett, 19, has been jailed for life for stabbing Raymond James Quigley to death amid rising tensions between two gangs, the Third Side and On The Money (OTM).

Mr Quigley, 18, was from Wymondham (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)Raymond James Quigley with his mum, Margaret Oakes (Image: Family handout)

Margaret Oakes - the mother of Mr Quigley, who was known as James - said the pair had grown up together, living about half a mile from each other and had been friends.

"Alfie knew James very well - they grew up in the same area of Mile Cross,” she said. 

"They were all friends at one point - they all knew each other from Mile Cross, because we all lived near each other."

But the influence of street gangs had seen things change. 

Margaret Oakes speaks outside court following sentencing of her son's killers (Image: Newsquest)

Ms Oakes told the BBC: "[Alfie] was the main person who always had the biggest problem with James. I think it was because James didn't want to be like him, he wanted to be his own person. He tried to harass James every time he could."

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Mr Quigley, 18, had travelled from Wymondham to Ipswich to meet two friends on January 17 last year.

Police believe that Hammett and his friend Joshua Howell, 18, discovered he was in the town and were trawling the centre looking for him, to continue their feud.

Alfie Hammett (left) and Joshua Howell (left) were found guilty of murder (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)James Quigley killer caught on CCTV with knife running through Ipswich shop (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)

Mr Quigley and friends were confronted in the town centre by Hammett and Joshua Howell, both of who were hooded, masked and armed with large knives.

While Hammett attacked Mr Quigley, Howell chased his friends away to stop them from helping him.

Mr Quigley was stabbed four times. He staggered across the road clutching his torso before collapsing in a card shop.

A keen singer who was looking forward to learning to drive and a career in construction, he died at the scene.

The trial at Ipswich Crown Court was told the motive for the killing had been gang rivalry.

READ MORE: Teens guilty of murdering Raymond James Quigley

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The murder happened a year after 18-year-old Joe Dix was stabbed to death in Mile Cross.

He had been in the Third Side and was killed by Benjamin Gil, Cameron Palmer and Hans Beeharry, members of OTM.

Westgate Street in Ipswich cordoned off following the fatal stabbing of Raymond James Quigley (Image: Newsquest)Alfie Hammett fleeing the scene of the attack in Ipswich (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)

Hammett - who was from Norwich but was living in Ipswich after being banned from the city due to bail conditions for a separate offence - was a member of the Third Side.

Howell was with the Ipswich-based Nacton gang, also known as IP3, which is affiliated with the Third Side.

Mr Quigley had friends in OTM and was seen in the public gallery at Norwich Crown Court during the trial of Mr Dix's killers.

However, his mother claims he was not actually a member.

She believes the ferocity used in the attack reflected resentment and animosity Hammett felt towards her son.

"I think it was very easy for Alfie to do, because before all the gangs he had it in for James anyway," she said.

READ MORE: 'Our lives will never be the same' - family's tribute six months after fatal stabbing

"James did not know this was coming to him. He did not go up there for a fight.

"It was in front of him before he realised. He didn't have a chance to defend himself - it is so upsetting to know that."

Raymond James Quigley was known as James to his friends and family (Image: Family handout)James Quigley pictured in his school days (Image: Family handout)

Hammett was this week jailed for a minimum of 24 years. Howell was jailed for at least 20 years. Both were found guilty of murder and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

Ms Oakes, who confronted her son’s killers in court to give an emotional statement about his life and the impact of his death, said life was “absolute hell at the moment”. 

“It feels like I'm just existing," she said. "We are never going to be complete again because James is not there."