Simon Kealey KC and Ryan Donoghue prosecute murder of 24-year-old Sheffield man, Sacad Ali

Simon Kealey KC and Ryan Donoghue, instructed by Charlotte Hanson of the Crown Prosecution Service, prosecuted three defendants involved in the murder of a 24-year old man, Sacad Ali, in Ponderosa Park, Sheffield on 9^th March 2024. 

Jack Douglas and Barney Griffin both pleaded guilty to murder and having an article with a blade or point in a public place, on 24^th May 2024. The third defendant, Rebecca Moore, was convicted of murder by a jury, after a trial that ran from 21^st October to 11^th November 2024.

Sacad Ali was lured to Ponderosa Park by Rebecca Moore in the early hours of 9^th March 2024, on the premise that she wished to purchase crack cocaine from him, potentially in exchange for sex work. The meeting was, in fact, arranged by Rebecca Moore on the understanding that her co-defendants, Barney Griffin and Jack Douglas, would attack Mr Ali, so as to protect the drug dealing ‘patch’ of a local drugs line operated by Douglas and Griffin. When Mr Ali arrived at Ponderosa Park and spoke to Rebecca Moore, Jack Douglas and Barney Griffin appeared on the scene and attacked Mr Ali with large knives. Mr Ali was also carrying a knife but was overpowered by the two male defendants. He suffered 16 different stab and knife wounds, including a serious wound to his upper leg which severed a main artery and vein. Emergency medical treatment was provided at the scene but Sacad Ali was pronounced dead shortly after 5am that morning.

Rebecca Moore was sentenced by the Recorder of Sheffield, His Honour Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 15 years. Due to their ages, Jack Douglas (now 17) and Barney Griffin (now 18) were sentenced to be detained at His Majesty’s pleasure, with minimum terms of 15 years for Douglas and 16 years for Griffin.

Press coverage of the case is available below:

BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lw452dpno

Sky News: https://news.sky.com/story/woman-and-two-men-jailed-for-murder-of-man-killed-with-machetes-after-being-lured-to-sheffield-park-13262280

Authors

Simon Kealey KC

Call 1991 | Silk 2017

Ryan Donoghue

Call 2015

Related areas

Crime

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