Fourth man convicted over 2022 ambush killing

A fourth man has been convicted after a man was attacked and stabbed in 2022.

Richard Hopley, who had been driving around a drug dealer, was ambushed by a gang and knifed in the chest while trying to drive away from robbers in Birmingham, police said.

Ayub Khan, 29, who was part of a group who ambushed the 43-year-old in Underwood Close, fled the UK afterwards and was arrested on his return to England in September.

A Birmingham Crown Court jury convicted Khan, of Harborne, on Friday for murder and conspiracy to rob. He was remanded in custody to be sentenced on 25 February.

The court heard Mr Hopley had been driving around a drug dealer and after arriving at the pre-agreed location he was attacked.

Khan, of Metchley Drive, carried a knife at the time of the robbery when the killing occurred, but he was not the one who stabbed Mr Hopley as he tried to drive off, West Midlands Police said.

Following the attack in September 2022, Mr Hopley managed to drive for half a mile before collapsing at the wheel and crashing the car in Metchley Lane where he was confirmed dead at the scene.

Three others were convicted over Mr Hopley's killing and involvement in the robbery, while Mr Khan was out of the country.

West Midlands Police said it believed officers have now traced everyone involved.

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