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Four men found guilty of murdering London uni student during New Year’s Eve party

The film student was last seen after leaving a nightclub in Brighton


TW: Distressing content

Four men have been found guilty of murdering a 24-year-old university student at a squat in Brighton on New Year’s Eve.

Bill Henham, a film student at Ravensbourne College in London, was beaten and thrown from a balcony before being doused in bleach.

Henham sustained the injuries that ultimately led to his death in the early hours of December 1st, 2020.

CCTV showed the student leaving a nightclub on Brighton’s seafront, before he was last seen outside a corner shop at 4:30am.

The next day, concerned neighbours called the police who found arrived to find his body in a courtyard.

A tip-off from someone who attended the party led to the police arresting four men and a 16-year-old boy in connection with the murder.

Those involved in the murder were said to have boasted about the attack when they went to continue the party at another nearby squat.

One of those arrested was released without further action, resulting in four men facing the murder charge.

After a three-month trial, Dushane Meikle, 28, Gregory Hawley, 29, Lamech Gordon-Carew, 20, and Alize Spence, 18, were convicted of Henham’s murder.

Henham had spent Christmas in West Sussex with his family and travelled to Brighton to partake in the New Year’s Eve celebrations.

In a statement, Henham’s family said: “Bill, our son and Rory’s brother, was cruelly and coldly taken from us. It is hard to describe the horror of losing a family member to murder, especially in such a brutal and needless way. We cannot fathom as to why anyone would inflict such cruelty on someone so helpless.

“In the weeks before his death, Bill had been living with us at home whilst taking a break from his studies at Ravensbourne University in London, where he studied digital film production. His love of art, films and film-making has left us with many examples of his creativity.

“He was a kind and peaceful young man; a free spirit who happily chatted to those he came across. We can well imagine, in his impaired and vulnerable condition that night, he was drawn towards the squat party and went into the North Street building not understanding the danger he was putting himself in.”

Detective Superintendent Alex Geldart said: “I, and the whole investigation team, feel privileged to have brought justice for Bill and his family, whose strength, dignity and fortitude throughout the investigation and trial has been truly humbling.

“Bill was just enjoying celebrating the New Year when his life was brutally brought to an end. Since his tragic murder, we have never given up hope that we would finally hold those responsible to account.

“This has been a lengthy and complex investigation involving a huge number of enquiries and forensic work to bring this case to court, resulting in the convictions today for this senseless killing.

“The four convicted men will now face many years in prison and we hope Bill’s family will be able to find some closure, knowing that his killers are finally behind bars.”

The date of the sentencing has not yet been released.

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