Frazer Brabant death: Four men jailed over 2019 revenge murder

Four men who chased and murdered a man in revenge for a cannabis robbery have been jailed for life.

Frazer Brabant, 31, was attacked with a sword-like weapon in a garden in Basingstoke, Hampshire, on 31 October 2019.

He died after spending nearly three months in a coma in hospital.

Forhad Miah, 32, and Scott Neale, 35, from Basingstoke, James O'Connor, 25, from Whitchurch, and Lee Wood, 32, were jailed at Winchester Crown Court.

Michael Burrows KC, prosecuting, said the defendants were part of a "pack which hunted down, chased and killed" Mr Brabant, at a time when they knew he was vulnerable due to a fractured leg.

The court heard the victim had stolen cannabis in an "audacious" knifepoint robbery at Neale's home and had not long been discharged from a psychiatric hospital.

Mr Burrows said the men burst into a flat in Gershwin Road, sprayed a chemical in another man's face and chased Mr Brabant into a next-door garden.

He said: "The group ignored his plea for mercy. [The attack was] sustained, ferocious and brutal."

The father of two remained in a coma until his death on 21 January 2020.

In November 2020, the Crimestoppers charity offered a £10,000 reward for information.

In a victim statement, his mother Julie Threshie said she spent three months living at Southampton General Hospital to be with him.

Her letter, read by the prosecutor, said: "They cowardly attacked my son at his weakest. I'll never adequately find words to tell you how much I miss him and the desperate sense of loss I feel."

Passing sentence, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said the four drug dealers gathered weapons including the blade and a steel baseball bat with intent to kill Mr Brabant.

She sentenced Neale, of Spindle Close, and Wood, of no fixed address, to a minimum of 29 years in prison.

Miah, of Chestnuts Close, was ordered to serve at least 28 years and former soldier O'Connor, of Fairfield, at least 25 years.

Neale and O'Connor made angry outbursts when their sentences were passed.

Wood, Miah and Neale were also previously found guilty of violent disorder and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.

Neale's brother, Ricky Lewis, 40, of Candover Court, Basingstoke, was jailed for six years for helping to organise the conspiracy.

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