Case review for teen jailed over gang attack

Ben Bailey12 April 2012

A murder case in which a teenager was jailed for life for taking part in a gang attack will be reviewed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).

Sam Hallam was 18 when he was jailed for life in 2005 for murdering Ethiopan chef Essayas Kassahun, 21, on St Luke's Estate in Clerkenwell in October 2004.

Hallam, of Hoxton, east London, was part of a 40-strong gang which attacked the victim.

The gang armed with spiked bats and knives attacked Mr Kassahun, 21, who jumped in the fight to help his friend who was the intended victim, the jury heard.

The chef was stabbed in the head and died two days after the attack.

But evidence has shed new light on the case. Seven new witnesses have come forward to say that Sam, now 21, was playing football half a mile away from the scene of the crime, it was claimed.

A CCRC spokesman said: "We can confirm that Mr Hallam's case is now under review by the Commission."

Hallam's family has been claiming his innocence in a campaign since his sentencing when he was ordered to serve a minimum of 12 years.

The CCRC has the power to investigate alleged miscarriages of justice and to decide whether convictions should be referred back to the Court of Appeal for review.

Bullabek Ringbiong, then 20, from Hoxton, was also jailed for life for the murder and told to serve a minimum of 15 years.

Another man, Scott White, 17, also from Hoxton, was convicted of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and was sentenced to eight years youth detention.

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