Portsmouth man jailed for 28 years for ambush and stabbing murder

Omar Goodridge, 21, of Montgomery Way in Portsmouth, was sentenced to 28 years in prison after being found guilty of murdering Richard Hardy.

Mr Hardy, 25, was found with multiple stab wounds in Mayfield Road, Farnborough between 1.30pm and 1.35pm on January 26 this year.

Nigel Lickley QC, prosecuting, previously told Portsmouth Crown Court that the Siddique brothers ran a drugs supply business named with the initials RJ, selling heroin and crack cocaine.

He said that Mr Hardy had arranged to purchase £20 worth of each of the drugs but had run off on a previous occasion without paying, leading the Siddique brothers to plot their revenge over the '˜slight' they had suffered.

Opening the trial last month, Mr Lickley said it was a '˜ferocious attack on a defenceless man', with Mr Hardy suffering multiple stab wounds including one where the knife went through his arm and into his chest, '˜fixing his arm to his body'.

Brothers Hashim Siddique, 20, and Qasan Siddique, 23, both of Fintry Walk in Farnborough, were also found guilty of murder and jailed for 27 and 29 years respectively.

Leroy Bosha, 27, of Aldwick Close in Farnborough, was found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for eight years.

The four men were all sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court yesterday.

Julie Hardy, Richard's mother, said: '˜I would like to emphasise my gratitude and massive thanks to all those who have helped in this case.

'˜Regardless of any outcome, nothing can bring Richard back. The traumatic effect it has had on all our lives is indescribable.'

A fifth man, Luther Archibald, 31, of Totland Close in Farnborough, was deemed unfit to stand trial and the jury found he had not unlawfully killed Mr Hardy.

Speaking after the sentencing hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Dave Storey said: '˜Today marks the end of a long investigation into the death of a young man who was stabbed multiple times.

'˜Mr Hardy's death was planned and totally unnecessary, and is another example of the harm, misery and devastation that drug use and associated violence can inflict upon communities.

'˜We hope that today's sentence provides some sort of closure for the family and friends of Mr Hardy, and those who live in the area where this murder took place.

'˜We are committed to tackling drug-related harm and knife crime, and will continue to work with our partners, both in Rushmoor and the wider county, to raise awareness around the risk and divert those who are vulnerable away from criminality.'