Castle Park murderer given life sentence

A 20-year-old man from Redfield has been handed a life sentence for murdering Adam Ali Ibrahim in Castle Park.

At around 4.20pm on Tuesday, January 31, Ronaldo Griffiths took Ibrahim’s phone out of his pocket close to the ruins of St Peter’s Church.

Ahmed Osman got the phone back for Ibrahim and Griffiths reacted by trying to stab Osman with a knife.

Griffiths did not make any contact with Osman but did cause damage to his coat, before swinging the knife at Ibrahim, stabbing him in the chest.

Ibrahim, known to his friends as Adam and J, made it to Fairfax Street after being helped to walk there from Castle Park and was taken to hospital by ambulance where he sadly died at around 9.45pm from a single stab wound to his chest.

After stabbing Ibrahim, Griffiths left Castle Park on a bicycle, chased by Osman on foot. Griffiths was later seen on CCTV changing his clothes.

Griffiths, of Osprey Road, was unanimously found guilty at Bristol Crown Court of murdering 37-year-old Ibrahim.

He was also found guilty of attempted wounding with intent of Osman. He had previously pleaded guilty to being in possession of a bladed article.

Griffiths was jailed for life imprisonment for murder, with a minimum term of 23 years before he is eligible for parole.

He was also handed a five-year sentence for attempted grievous bodily harm and 18 months for possessing a bladed article, both to be served concurrently.

A police cordon in place between The Pithay and Wine Stret after the murder – photo: Mia Vines Booth

DCI Simon Dewfall, from Avon & Somerset police’s major crime investigation team, said: “This has been a long and intense investigation, with many hours spent pouring over CCTV to trace and retrace the steps of Griffiths and Mr Ibrahim.

“Griffiths knew what he was doing that day, he knew the risks associated with carrying a knife and he chose to strike out first at Mr Osman, and then again at Mr Ibrahim.

“The work of the team has led to this prosecution and I would like to publicly thank them for their hours of hard work.

“Griffiths will now spend a large proportion of his life behind bars, thinking about what he has done and the life he has taken.

“My condolences continue to be with Mr Ibrahim’s loved ones at this time as they continue to adjust to a world without him in it.”

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Read more: £650,000 to be spent on CCTV and other measures to tackle knife crime

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Sentencing Griffiths at Bristol Crown Court, judge William Hart said that Griffiths took a knife to Castle Park and disregarded his defence that he had “collected the knife moments before from a friend”.

Judge Hart said: “I am satisfied this was entirely due to your foolish behaviour. He was a blameless victim. You took his mobile phone, some abuse was directed towards you and you lost your temper.

“You are a habitually violent young man. You pulled out the fearsome weapon which you carried in your bag. It was your knife, carried by you, for an offensive purpose as the need arose.

“This was a shocking incident which occurred in daylight in Castle Park, which would have had an impact on this community.”

Main photo: Avon & Somerset Constabulary

Read next:

• Man in his 30s dies after city centre stabbing
• Community football event held to tackle knife crime
• Knife amnesty bins installed in Castle Park
  

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