Fifth arrest made in connection with Nuneaton stabbing

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A fifth arrest has been made in connection with a Nuneaton murder investigation.


Entrance to Pool Bank Street Recreation Ground.

The 39-year-old man, from Nuneaton, was taken into custody this morning and arrested on suspicion of murder.

A man in his 20s was stabbed to death in a horrific Halloween attack in the town.

A post mortem examination is expected to be held today with formal identification due to take place on Tuesday.

The incident occurred at about 9.26pm on Saturday at Pool Bank Recreational Park off Queens Road.

A second man received multiple stab wounds which were not life-threatening or life-changing.

He was taken to University Hospital but later discharged.

Warwickshire Police has requested more time to interview two other men aged 41 and 20 who are currently in custody arrested on suspicion of murder, as well as a 16-year-old girl who is currently in custody arrested on suspicion of assisting offenders.

A 28-year-old man, arrested on suspicion of murder, has been released without charge.

The area surrounding Pool Bank Street Recreation Ground remains closed while officers carry out forensic inquiries.

Det Insp Jason Downes said: “We are doing all we can to build a picture of the exact circumstances, and would urge anyone who saw what happened either before, after or during the attack to contact police.

“We know there were a number of people out in Nuneaton who could have been potential eyes and ears into what happened, and we would urge anyone who saw anything suspicious no matter how insignificant it may seem to get in touch.

“This is an extremely sad loss of a young life, and we want to do everything we can to bring these people to justice.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting incident number 415 of October 31.

Alternatively contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111 or visiting the website.

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Murder charges over fatal Nuneaton park stabbing


Morgan Hehir, 20, will be missed by many, said his family

Two men have been charged with the murder of a man stabbed to death in a park in Warwickshire.

Declan Gray, 20, and Karlton Gray, 18, both of Waverley Square, Nuneaton, are accused of killing 20-year-old Morgan Hehir on Saturday night.

The pair are due at Leamington Magistrates Court later.

A 39-year-old man remains in custody arrested on suspicion of murder, and two further men have been bailed while investigations continue.

A 16-year-old girl arrested on suspicion of assisting offenders has also been bailed.

Mr Hehir sustained knife wounds in an attack on 31 October at Pool Bank Recreational Park off Queens Road in Nuneaton.

He died in University Hospital Coventry overnight.

An area around the park closed for forensic examination has now been reopened.

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Three men with more than 130 previous convictions are sentenced after killing of Morgan Hehir



Three men who had more than 130 previous convictions between them have been jailed for a combined total of nearly 40 years after they admitted their roles in killing Nuneaton’s Morgan Hehir.

Declan Gray, 21, of Waverley Square, Nuneaton, was given a life sentence of 25 years imprisonment for murder at Warwickshire Justice Centre today due to the ferocity of the attack which led to Morgan’s death in October last year.

Karlton Gray, 19, also of Waverley Square, and Simon Rowbotham, 40, of Meadow Street, Nuneaton, who both pleaded guilty to manslaughter last week, were sentenced to six years nine months and eight years, respectively.

Prosecuting, Andrew Smith said: “The court has received a statement from the family of Morgan Hehir which states this has had a profound effect on those closest to him.

“He was loved and respected by many people and was a young man with a bright future ahead of him and an advocate against knife crime.”

The court heard how the Gray brothers and Rowbotham “ferociously and viciously attacked” a group of friends, which included Morgan on October 31 last year at Pool Bank Recreational Park in Nuneaton.

Declan had already attacked one of the group with a knife before stabbing Morgan in “vulnerable parts of his body”.

The court also heard how both Karlton and Simon threw punches and kicks.

In an earlier hearing, the jury were shown CCTV footage which proved the defendants’ involvement in the case.

Declan Gray had ten previous convictions, one of which was for manslaughter. Defending solicitor Adrian Redgrave stated his guilty plea and his remorse for killing Hehir should be highlighted.

Karlton Gray had 22 previous convictions, with two of those relating to actual bodily harm. Rowbotham had 105 previous convictions going back to 1990 including instances of assault and robbery.

Judge Richard Griffith-Jones said: “This ferocious and vicious attack took place between groups of people. It was totally unjustifiable and must have the appropriate sentence when someone loses their life.

“The terrible feature of the attack is that Declan entered it with a vicious-looking steak knife with intent of using it to cause serious injury to any man in the group that you could get your hands on.

“I have watched the footage more than once and I am not sure you intended to kill, as when the very vulnerable Morgan got up to get away you did not carry on at that point.

“A life sentence must be imposed and you must serve 23 years nine months before you can be considered for parole.”

One of the men convicted Simon Rowbotham was a regular on Channel 5's Benefits Britain series.

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Morgan Hehir: Park murder victim 'let down by system'


Police commissioner Philip Seccombe

A man murdered with a steak knife by a man released from jail four months earlier was "let down by the system", a police and crime commissioner said.

Declan Gray, 21, of Nuneaton, pleaded guilty last year to murdering Morgan Hehir in a park in the town.

Mr Hehir's father Colin called for a review into the supervision of Gray, who had served time for manslaughter.

Warwickshire PCC Philip Seccombe said he would "look into the circumstances which led up to Morgan's death".

Under current guidelines, Gray was released without supervision because he served his full sentence.

He had been arrested but not charged three times in the four months before killing Morgan Hehir, including twice on suspicion of wounding.

Colin Hehir put his concerns to Mr Seccombe and Warwickshire Police in a "productive" meeting.

"I believe Morgan's death was preventable with some form of police intervention," he said.

Declan Gray's brother Karlton Gray, 19, and Simon Rowbotham, 40, admitted manslaughter and were also jailed.

The defendants, from Nuneaton, had shouted abuse at Mr Hehir before an altercation broke out, police said.

Judge Richard Griffith-Jones said it had been a "ferocious and concerted cowardly attack" on Mr Hehir.

Mr Seccombe said he was "not blaming police" but that Mr Hehir's family had been let down.

He questioned whether processes for monitoring violent offenders after they had served their full terms of imprisonment were adequate.

Mr Hehir, who often visits Pool Bank Recreational Park, where his son was killed, said: "It's the place where Morgan took his last steps on that night.

"It does fill me with anxiety and dread to walk through here, but I feel the need to come here. You know, I can't stay away."