Five jailed after machete murder which left victim with 'catastrophic brain damage' in Basingstoke

Five men have today (14 July) been jailed following the murder of Frazer Brabant in Basingstoke.

Scott Neale, 35, Forhad Miah, 32, Lee Wood, 32 and James O’Connor, 25, have been sentenced at Winchester Crown Court after being found guilty of murder following an eight-week trial.

Scott Neale, Forhad Miah and Lee Wood were also found guilty of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and violent disorder.

Ricky Lewis, 40, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm with intent.

The court heard how officers were called at 10.51pm on 31 October 2019 to an address in Gershwin Road, Basingstoke.

Frazer Brabant was found lying in the front garden with serious head injuries. He was taken to hospital where he remained in a coma until 21 January 2020 when he died. He was 31 years old.

The court was told that a group of men had barged into an address in Gershwin Road and sprayed a substance in the face of the home owner. They chased Frazer Brabant out of the flat and attacked him in the front garden.

A post-mortem examination found that he had been struck multiple times to the head and face by a heavy, sharp-edged object described as a machete or sword type weapon. At least one of the blows caused catastrophic brain damage.

The investigation found that on 31 July 2019, Frazer Brabant robbed Scott Neale of cannabis.

Digital analysis revealed that in the three months between the robbery and the murder, the five men had been tracking Brabant to seek revenge.

On 1 August they attacked the home address of Brabant’s partner armed with weapons and caused damage to her house and cars.

On 2 August they attacked an address belonging to one of Brabant’s associates and smashed windows to the property.

Further attempts were made to find Brabant on 25 and 28 October 2019 before the group located him on 31 October at the address in Gershwin Road where they carried out their fatal attack.

Scott Neale, 35, of Spindle Close, Oakridge, had pleaded guilty to manslaughter however the jury found him guilty of murder. He was also convicted of violent disorder, conspiracy to cause GBH with intent and has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 29 years.

Forhad Miah, 32, of Chestnuts Close, Oakley, who had been convicted of murder, violent disorder and conspiracy to cause GBH with intent has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 28 years.

James O’Connor, 25, of Fairfield, Whitchurch, who had been convicted of murder has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 25 years.

Lee Wood, 32, of no fixed abode, who had been convicted of murder, violent disorder and conspiracy to cause GBH with intent, has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 29 years.

Ricky Lewis, 40, of Candover Court, Basingstoke, who had been convicted of conspiracy to cause GBH with intent and not guilty of violent disorder has been sentenced to six years.

In the sentence hearing, the judge commended the work of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary.

Detective Sergeant Dan Hunt from the Northern Investigation Team said: "These men spent months terrorising others and causing damage to properties to locate and harm Brabant in revenge for him robbing Neale of cannabis. When they did find him, they carried out a brutal attack, which resulted in his death.

"This case highlights the misery, harm and devastation drugs and weapons cause to communities.

"Where there are drugs there is almost always violence and I hope this case sends a strong message to anyone involved in drugs or weapons. The consequences destroy many lives forever.

"This case was built over many years and it demonstrates the relentless pursuit of those who chose to cause misery, irrespective of how complex or protracted a case may be.

"I would like to commend attending emergency services, those involved in the investigation for their professionalism and the CPS for their expertise and close liaison to build a strong case. Most importantly, the witnesses who stood up to those individuals who’ve chosen to destroy lives.

"We are committed to tackling drugs and knife crime and we carry out regular operations to disrupt those involved in drugs and violence to ensure Hampshire and the Isle of Wight remains a safe place to live, work and visit.

"We urge communities to keep reporting intelligence around knife crime and drugs so that together we can continue to tackle these issues."

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