June 18, 2007
Cabbie's killer jailed
A man who killed a cab driver from Hackney during a squabble over a £40 mobile phone has been jailed indefinitely.
Luke Kelly was caged after he stabbed 53-year-old Ron Hall, of Moulins Road, South Hackney, with an eight-inch kitchen knife.
The father-of-four was found dying in his cab having fled from the confrontation at Kelly's home in Luton, Bedfordshire.
Mr Hall had driven from London to Kelly's house with a friend, Paul Hydes, in February last year, armed with a wooden weapon - either a baseball bat, a chair or table leg.
Kelly stabbed Mr Hall three times in the back. He died later in hospital.
Kelly argued he had been acting in self-defence, but Judge John Bevan, sitting at Luton Crown Court last Friday, sent him to prison, deeming him to be a risk to the public.
While accepting provocation and self-defence played a role, the judge said Kelly was a danger to others.
"Mr Hall's behaviour in coming to your house with a chair or table leg as a weapon was unlawful, but you over-reacted with extreme violence," he said.
Kelly, who had been convicted by a jury of manslaughter by provocation at the end of a five-day trial last month, was told he would not be considered for parole for a minimum of three years.
Chief Insp John Giles, of Bedfordshire police, said: "This case highlights the consequences of what may happen if people decide to take the law into their own hands.
http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/content/hackney/gazette/news/story.aspx?brand=HKYGOnline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newshkyg&itemid=WeED14%20Jun%202007%2014%3A42%3A21%3A933
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