Life Sentence for Fulham Murderer

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" Bryant had no hesitation in using a knife."

Raymond Bryant, of Stephendale Road in Fulham has been sentenced to life with a minimum of 13 years at Blackfriars Crown Court for the 2007 murder of Martin Stevenson in Seagrove Road, SW6.

Bryant, 29 was convicted on December 17, 2008 at Blackfriars Crown Court.

At 11.16pm on September 6, 2007 the police were called by London Ambulance Service to a man suffering from stab wounds in Seagrove Road.

Martin Stevenson of Warwick Road, SW5 was taken to hospital, but died of his injuries the following day.

DCI Howard Groves from the MPS Homicide and Serious Crime Command, who led the murder investigation said: " In many respects Mr Stevenson was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"This was a sad set of circumstances where a minor disagreement has resulted in the death of an innocent man. Bryant had no hesitation in using a knife to inflict fatal injuries, this is the real danger of routinely carrying knives".

Officers established that Mr Stevenson had been drinking in the Imperial Arms pub, Lillie Road. He left at about 10.45pm with a friend and went to Brompton Supermarket in Seagrove Road.

In or around the shop at this time were at least four other people, three men and a woman. One of the men had a white American bulldog.

When Mr Stevenson left the shop he approached the man with the dog and attempted to play with it. The situation quickly escalated when the man protested, resulting in the dog attacking Mr Stevenson tearing his trousers and injuring his leg.

While Mr Stevenson was lying on the road, the man with the dog and two other men were seen by witnesses to punch and kick him. All the attackers fled the scene. Mr Stevenson was taken to hospital where he died the next morning.

The attackers were identified via CCTV and Richard Bryant was identified as the man with the dog.

Following extensive police enquiries Bryant was traced to an address in New Malden, Surrey. On September 21, 2007 uniformed police attended the address. Bryant attempted to escape but was caught and arrested. He was charged with murder the same day.

On September 11, 2007 a 24 year-old man was arrested and a 16 year old youth was arrested the following day. Both were later bailed to return to a West London police station pending further enquiries, and charged with violent disorder on December 14, 2007.

The youth, now 17, was subsequently found guilty of violent disorder and sentenced to 180 hours community service at Blackfriars Crown Court on February 6, 2009.The other man is still awaiting trial.

March 11, 2009