UPDATE: The murderer of Reece Newcombe in Richmond has been sentenced at the Old Bailey

A man who armed himself with a piece of broken glass before picking a fight with Reece Newcome outside a nightclub in Richmond has been jailed for murder.

Ross Hamilton, 34 (23.08.90), of Wood Lane, Isleworth appeared for sentencing at the Old Bailey on Friday, 11 October where he was sentenced as follows:

• Life imprisonment to serve a minimum of 19 years [less time served] for the murder of Reece Newcombe.
  
  
• Four months imprisonment for assault on a second victim at the scene [to be served concurrently].

Hamilton had previously been found guilty of the murder and the assault at the same court by a unanimous jury on Friday, 20 September.

Detective Inspector Kevin Martin of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command said: “Reece was simply out having a good night with friends. He was a much loved son, brother, partner and friend to many. He had recently become a father and had so much to look forward to.

“Hamilton was a stranger to him, yet his senseless violence took Reece’s life. It is clear that Hamilton was “spoiling for a fight” that night, attempting to square up to a number of people in the run up to the murder. Choosing to hide a broken piece of glass is an indication of the level of pre-meditation in his actions. Striking Reece in the neck meant he stood no chance of defending himself and Hamilton would have known that aiming directly for that area was likely to have catastrophic consequences.”

During trial the court heard that in the early hours of 26 November 2022, Hamilton was in an aggressive and agitated state outside Viva nightclub at an ‘after party’ following the World Cup match between England and the USA.

Hamilton’s behaviour led to him assaulting another man outside the club. He remained there for another 30 minutes aggressively taunting security staff and others waiting for taxis outside the venue.

Ultimately, Reece intervened and he and Hamilton got into a fight. During this brief altercation between the two near Richmond Bridge, Hamilton used a broken piece of glass and stabbed Reece in the neck, before leaving the scene in a vehicle.

Onlookers rushed to Reece’s aid. An off duty police officer, who was passing by, followed Hamilton and was able to describe the vehicle and direction of travel it left the scene in.

Officers quickly arrived and started administering emergency CPR until the arrival of paramedics and London’s Air Ambulance. Reece was taken to hospital, but despite extensive efforts to save him, he was sadly pronounced dead some hours later.

Murder detectives immediately launched an investigation, securing CCTV and interviewing numerous witnesses who had been in the vicinity of the incident. It was the World Cup and a nearby ‘Fanzone’ had been showing the match between the USA and England. Reece and Hamilton had attended the event before both headed to Viva nightclub although they had not interacted during the event.

Witness accounts and CCTV footage identified that Hamilton had spent much of his night being aggressive and unpredictable to a number of unconnected people, before his fateful interaction with Reece after they had left the nightclub.

Hamilton attended Acton police station two days later and handed himself in knowing that he was the subject of an extensive police manhunt. He was charged with Reece’s murder during the early hours of 30 November 2022.

DI Martin added: “Today brings an end to the proceedings in the Reece Newcombe murder – but Reece's family will continue to be affected by their tragic loss for many years to come.

“His death was senseless and needless and while nothing can bring him back to those who loved him, I hope that knowing Hamilton is facing many years behind bars will bring them a measure of satisfaction. My thoughts are with them today.”

A spokesperson for Reece Newcombe’s family said: “Nearly two years have passed since we lost our beautiful Reece.

“Reece in life was the shining light at the centre of our loving family. That light was brutally snubbed out by the murderous moronic actions of Ross Hamilton, a callous bully on 26 November 2022.

“Many serious incidents involving Hamilton were recorded on CCTV as he bullied his way throughout the night.

“This resulted in him arming himself with a lethal weapon moments before deliberately striking our beloved Reece in the neck with a broken bottle.

“This culminated in the death of a 31-year-old loving father of two baby girls in the early hours of that fateful dreadful morning.

“Reece was only able to enjoy being a father to his baby daughter for five months. His second daughter whom he would never get to see was born the following summer of 2023.

“The outpouring of grief after Reece’s passing was unprecedented, this showed the love people held for him. Four thousand people walked behind family members to lay wreaths at the spot where he was brutally murdered a week before.

“There is never a moment that goes by without us thinking of the beautiful soul that was our Reece.

“We, his family, are forced to navigate this cruel existence without him as we walk forward in life completely heartbroken.

“We are eternally grateful to the brave witnesses who came to court, to the police and the family liaison officers, also to the jury who weren’t intimidated or deceived by Hamilton as he lied his way through his testimony.

“The public, including the women he has previously attacked, will sleep better at night in the knowledge that he will no longer be at liberty to harm, maim or murder anybody else after his day of judgment .

“We will love you for eternity our beloved beautiful Reece.”