Teen sentenced to eight years for Hailsham stabbing of Billy Ripley
A 17-year-old has been sentenced to eight years in prison for stabbing a man with a blow that "penetrated his heart" in an East Sussex town centre.The teenager can now be named as Rhys Hedges, who turns 18 in three days' time, after reporting restrictions were lifted by the judge.A jury at Lewes Crown Court previously cleared him of murder but found him guilty of manslaughter after he said he stabbed 20-year-old Billy Ripley in self-defence in Hailsham.Officers were called to the Vicarage Field area at about 18:20 BST on 29 August 2024 to reports that a man had been stabbed following an altercation.
Mr Ripley was treated by paramedics but died at the scene from a single stab wound.Her Honour Judge Christine Laing said the sentencing could not "begin to quantify the immeasurable loss and void" Hedges had left for those who loved Billy Ripley, and was not intended to. She told Hedges: "It is to punish you for your actions on that day."Billy was also regularly carrying a knife. "And knife is frankly an understatement, these were weapons of substantial size, machetes and zombie killer knives, fearsome weapons that will inevitably do dreadful damage if used against someone's body, even if that was not your intention."You could easily have got on your bike and cycled away if you were in fear of him as you claimed. "Rather, you ensured you attracted his attention by at the very least standing in his view on the edge of the road or by calling to him."The two of you then both came together in the entrance to the graveyard to have a knife fight, plain and simple."
She added that there was no evidence that any more than one blow from his weapon struck Mr Ripley, but that blow had "penetrated his heart and caused him an un-survivable injury".The judge said "something drastic" had to be done to stop young men from having these weapons and carrying them in public. "No matter what your intention - or lack of one - when you use a blade of that size against someone, really serious harm or death is the almost inevitable outcome," she added.During the trial the jury heard Mr Ripley had stabbed the boy twice in the arm, and the boy said he "moved back" and "tried to defend himself".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
18 minutes ago
- BBC News
Former Birmingham drug addict helping others on road to recovery
For nearly three decades Keeley Knowles' life consisted of shoplifting thousands of pounds worth of goods to fuel her heroin known as "Birmingham's most profile shoplifter", Ms Knowles had been to jail 28 times but is now 18 months clean and on a mission to give addicts hope."I have no doubt in my mind that I would have died," she said. "I thought I was unfixable."Her saving grace, she explained, was West Midlands Police's Offending to Recovery programme. She now works alongside the programme, doing outreach work with drug users and gives talks on the opioid treatment drug Buvidal. "Every day would roll into one, I would get up with a shop in mind and target it," said Ms Knowles, now 42. "Once I'd spent the day doing that I'd sell what I stole, score and spend all night doing drugs until the next morning and do it all over again." 'Don't write yourself off' The Offending 2 Recovery programme started work in 2018 in Erdington, Birmingham, in response to research that revealed addiction to drugs drove as much as 50% of all acquisitive crime in the findings also estimated 70% of shop theft was committed by people struggling with addiction to heroin and crack cocaine. The programme offers a free, tailored support service focused on treating addiction to break the link between crime. It is funded by local authorities, businesses and the West Midlands police and crime project is being expanded into Coventry, Dudley, Walsall and Ch Insp Katy Chapman, from West Midlands Police, said the programme has already received a positive reception in Coventry."We're six months in and seeing the great impact with businesses being able to refer people directly to the scheme," she said. "It builds confidence with our communities ...we want to look for other solutions in order to deter people from doing these crimes and turning them around so they don't continue to offend."Back in Birmingham, Ms Knowles continues to tell her story to show others it is not too late."I was seen as unfixable, too far gone but they don't look at you like that."I recently won the National Business crime solutions award and I've reconnected with my family, I'm now able to be an aunty."I thought no-one could help me but they did, so don't write yourself off," she said. If you, or someone you know, have been affected by any of the issues in this story you can find help and support via BBC Action Line. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Sun
25 minutes ago
- The Sun
Body found in search for man, 50, who ‘entered the water' after ‘cruiser boat' ran aground at popular UK beach
A BODY has been found in search for a man after his boat ran aground at a popular UK beach. Jason, 50, was reported missing at 11pm on 2 June 2025 after a cabin cruiser boat he was on ran aground in the water in Rockley Harbour, west Sligo. Emergency services were called at around 9:30pm on 3 June where specialist police divers located a body in the water. While the body has not yet been formally identified, it is believed to be Jason and his family has been informed. The death is not being treated as suspicious and HM Coroner has been notified. Chief Inspector Darren Harris, of Dorset Police, said: 'Our thoughts are very much with the family and loved ones of Jason at this extremely difficult time. 'I would like to thank all those involved in the search efforts to locate him, including HM Coastguard, the RNLI, Wessex Search and Rescue, Devon & Cornwall Police dive team as well as a large number of our officers and staff.' 1
Reuters
27 minutes ago
- Reuters
Sheffield Wednesday charged by EFL over failure to pay wages on time
June 4 (Reuters) - The English Football League (EFL) has charged Sheffield Wednesday with multiple breaches of regulations after the second-tier club failed to pay players' wages on time. The club had already been placed under registration embargoes in the last two seasons having received a six-point deduction during the 2020-21 season for breaching profit and sustainability rules. "The owner of Sheffield Wednesday, Dejphon Chansiri, has also been charged with causing the club to be in breach of EFL regulations despite his commitment to fund the cash requirements of the club," the EFL said in a statement on Tuesday. "All charges relate to both the Ultimate Beneficial Owner and the club failing to meet their obligations to pay players' wages on time and in full in March and May 2025." Thai businessman Chansiri, who took over Sheffield Wednesday in 2015, had acknowledged the charges and apologised to everyone connected with the club, the team said. "The club continue to seek a resolution regarding outstanding salaries due for the month of May at the earliest possible opportunity," it added. The club and Chansiri have 14 days to respond to the charges. Sheffield Wednesday finished 12th in the Championship in the recently-concluded season.
