A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering 18-year-old Jay Sewell in Lewisham in 2018.
At the Old Bailey on Tuesday, 7 January, Daniel Grogan, 21 (19.09.98) of Sibthorpe Road, SE12, was sentenced to life to serve a minimum of 21 years.
He was also sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for grievous bodily harm and three and a half years for violent disorder, to run concurrently.
Seven other individuals – including members of Daniel’s family – were also sentenced for their involvement in the attack. The sentenced amount to more than 60 years combined.
Charlie Dudley, 26 (07.09.93) of Sibthorpe Road, SE12, was sentenced to 16 years for manslaughter, six and a half years for GBH and three and a half years for violent disorder, to be served concurrently.
Robert Grogan, 58 (31.12.61) of Sibthorpe Road, SE12, was sentenced to 14 and a half years for manslaughter, six years for GBH and three and a half years for violent disorder, to be served concurrently.
Ann Grogan, 55 (20.12.64) of Sibthorpe Road, SE12, was sentenced to seven and a half years for manslaughter and three and a half years for violent disorder, to run concurrently
Liam Hickey, 20 (19.01.00) of Crown Woods Way, SE9 was sentenced to three years for GBH and two years for violent disorder, to be served concurrently.
Francesca Grogan, 30 (13.03.89), of Sibthorpe Road, SE12 was previously sentenced to 12 months for violent disorder.
Jamie Bennett, 32 (15.10.87), of Sibthorpe Road, SE12 was previously sentenced to 20 months in prison.
A 17-year-old was previously handed a nine-month rehabilitation order and a supervision order.
Daniel, Ann, Robert and Francesca Grogan lived at the same address in Sibthorpe Road, SE12. Charlie Dudley also lived in Sibthorpe Road, but at a different address.
Robert and Ann Grogan are parents of Daniel and Francesca Grogan. Liam Hickey is a cousin of Daniel and Francesca.
The court heard how, in the week before the attack, Daniel Grogan had become increasingly jealous of Jay – who was dating his ex-girlfriend – and had made repeated threats to kill him. He had also attacked Jay’s girlfriend two days before his death.
At around 21:50hrs on 11 December 2018, Jay had travelled with some friends and his girlfriend to meet Daniel Grogan at Alwold Crescent, SE12. Their intention was to stop Daniel from threatening and harassing Jay’s girlfriend.
When they arrived, Jay and his friends were ambushed by the defendants, who came out of an address in Sibthorpe Road armed with knives, hammers, wood and an axe.
Jay was stabbed along with another 18-year-old man (Victim 2). The two victims were taken to a south London hospital suffering from stab injuries.
Despite the work of the emergency services, Jay died in hospital at 22.34hrs that evening. A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as a single stab wound to the chest. He was stabbed a further two times in the legs.
The second victim was subsequently discharged from hospital.
Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime command launched a murder investigation led by Detective Chief Inspector Simon Harding.
Officers seized CCTV footage and conducted an extensive forensic search of the area. As a result of the search, two hammers, a block of wood and a knife were found.
