Four guilty of hacking dad to death in 'public execution' at silent disco

Andre Gayle, 29, was stabbed nine times in the early hours of August 31 last year in an alleyway close to Easton Community Centre, Bristol (swns)
Andre Gayle, 29, was stabbed nine times in the early hours of August 31 last year in an alleyway close to Easton Community Centre, Bristol (swns) (swns)

Four men will be sentenced for murder for a "savage, vicious and unrestrained attack" on an unarmed man at a silent disco in Bristol last summer.

Andre Gayle, 29, was stabbed nine times during the "public execution" in the early hours of 31 August last year.

CCTV footage released by police after the verdict showed Andre being chased through a large crowd who had gathered for a silent disco.

The father-of-six young died at the Bristol Royal Infirmary two days later.

Rico Corbin and Tyan Finlayson, both 28 from the Speedwell area of the city, and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named, were found guilty of murder on Friday following a trial at Bristol Crown Court.

Jerome Lewis, 25, from London, pleaded guilty to murder at an earlier hearing and the four will all be sentenced on 5 July.

Father-of-six Andre Gayle died two days after the attack (swns)
Father-of-six Andre Gayle died two days after the attack (swns) (swns)

A fifth man, aged 40, was found not guilty.

In a statement released after the verdict, Gayle's mother said: “My family is grief-stricken and struggling to come to terms with not only losing my son but also the brutality and senseless evil in the way they attacked and killed him; it was tantamount to a public execution.

“These men are fearless, remorseless and have shown total disregard for people in the community of Bristol and caused innocent bystanders to flee in terror at what was unfolding in front of them.

"During this trial we have had to watch CCTV footage of Andre’s last moments alive which has been harrowing, the pain is immeasurable.

“It is still hard to accept that he is gone and I personally don’t think I will ever be able to accept the loss.

28-year-old Rico Corbin, Tyan Finlayson, also 28, and 25-year-old Jerome Lewis, will be sentenced on 5 July along with a 17-year-old who cannot be named (swns)
28-year-old Rico Corbin, Tyan Finlayson, also 28, and 25-year-old Jerome Lewis, will be sentenced on 5 July along with a 17-year-old who cannot be named (swns) (swns)

"Too many parents are losing and have lost their sons and family members to this epidemic of knife crime and I want my grandchildren, Andre’s children, to be safe and have a future without these murderers walking amongst us.

“We need time as a family to grieve properly and try to heal. I would like to thank everyone who has given and shown so much support, I couldn’t have got through this without them.”

A statement from Gayle's father read: “Seeing my son lying in the hospital bed, completely motionless, being kept alive by machines – my boy, who had so much energy and spirit – his life taken from us.

"No parent should have to bury their son.

CCTV footage released by police showed Andre being chased through a large crowd by his attackers (swns)
CCTV footage released by police showed Andre being chased through a large crowd by his attackers (swns) (swns)

“My son, who is also a father, will never see his children grown up – not only have I lost a son, his children have also lost a father.

"So many lives destroyed by the hands of these vicious murderers.

“Taking these murderers off the street will not bring back my son, but it will prevent the suffering of another family and allow our kids to grow old and die naturally.”

Detective Inspector Roger Doxsey, of the Major Crime Investigation Team, said the motive for the pre-planned attack on Andre has never been fully understood.

He added: "The CCTV evidence is clear and unmistakeable. It has shown... the jury this was a savage, vicious and unrestrained attack on an unarmed man by a group of cowardly individuals who acted together, and who were prepared to use knives to achieve their objective.

“They showed a total disregard to other members of the public who were in the immediate vicinity, which included another innocent man who was repeatedly stabbed in a case of mistaken identity, but who thankfully survived his injuries."

DI Doxsey added: “Knife crime is a current curse on our communities and we have shown together that we will not stand for it, and we’ll painstakingly track down and bring offenders to justice."

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