Southampton gang jailed for more than 125 years after murdering "family man" Mark Noke

Kieran Thomas Claffey, 29, Leighton James Tabone, 24, and Justin Lee Roach, 40, were all found guilty of the murder of Mark Noke, while Bradley James O'Dell, 22, and Aaron Paul Dean Morgan, 32, were both convicted of manslaughter. The incident occurred on February 25, 2023, at a block of flats in Warbuton Road, Southampton.

Roach dressed as a pizza delivery man to gain entry to the flats where Mr Noke lived to conduct a pre-planned robbery. Winchester Crown Court heard the group had been searching for £30,000 in cash and two kilograms of cannabis, but when entering the flats they took a wrong turn.

Instead of going to the intended target they ended up forcing their way in to Mr Noke's, demanding to know the whereabouts of a man and woman. Mr Noke, 64, who had no previous criminal history, had a gun pointed at his head and was stabbed in the chest, before the group fled the scene. Mr Noke was able to call 999 but tragically died at the scene.

The five men were charged for their involvement in the murder. Tabone, of no fixed abode, O'Dell, of Blendworth Lane, Southampton, Morgan, of no fixed abode, and Road, of Steep Close, Southampton, had all pleaded not guilty to murder, manslaughter and conspiracy to commit robbery, but were found guilty by a jury after a seven week trial. Claffey, of Keynsham Road, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery, but denied murder and manslaughter.

Sentencing them on Tuesday, judge Mr Justice Jeremy Baker said: "It was clear [Mark Noke] was kind, much loved and cherished." The judge jailed Tabone and Roach for life with a minimum of 27 years, and Claffey for life with a minimum of 29 years. O'Dell was jailed for 15 years, Bull for eight years and Wilson for seven and a half years. DI Howard Broadribb, who oversaw the Major Crime investigation, said: "This case resulted from the senseless killing of Mark Noke. He had done nothing to deserve the mindless and abhorrent violence he was met with on that night in February last year, and my thoughts are with his family. They have showed great courage throughout this process and our investigation team have worked tirelessly to piece together the movements of those involved, and seek to provide some justice for Mark's family. 

"The five men jailed today are all equally as liable as each other. "Together the planned to commit robbery, and went mob-handed; expecting to use their power in numbers were they to be met with resistance. It was together they armed themselves with a knife and a gun, intending serious harm in order to get their way and steal the money and drugs they were seeking. 

And it was together they showed no remorse, instead making great efforts to evade being identified by deleting phone messages, discarding phones and selling the car they used within days. "Together they thought they had done enough to evade capture, and avoid the accountability for the life they had taken. The pain and heartache to Mark's family is unimaginable, and together these men have destroyed the lives of those who loved Mark so dearly.

"Although no sentence will ever be able to return Mark to them, nor fill the void left by his death, I hope knowing each of the people involved is now in jail will provide them some closure." Claffey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery at the beginning of the trial, while the jury convicted the other four of the same offence.