CCTV captured the terrifying moment a six-strong gang armed with swords and machetes ambushed 21-year-old Dale Martin on a Derby street, dragging him from his car and stabbing him to death in what prosecutors called a “brutal, sustained, and planned attack.”
Six men have been convicted following the murder of 21-year-old Dale Martin, who was ambushed and fatally stabbed on Stenson Road in Derby on 15 June 2025. Chilling CCTV footage showed a gang of six men, armed with swords, machetes and Rambo-style knives, blocking Martin’s Renault Megane with electric bikes before dragging him from the vehicle and launching a sustained attack as he tried to flee. Following a four-month trial at Loughborough Crown Court, Jayden Mannion-Roberts, 26, was found guilty of murder, while Keenan Hamblett, 27, Ki Grant-Finlayson, 23, Kayin Holmes, 25, Kelci Thompson, 19, and Shaylon McCalla, 27, were all convicted of manslaughter. All six men are from Derby.
A planned and sustained attack
Prosecutors told the court that Martin’s killing was the culmination of a long-running “tit for tat” feud between rival groups in Derby, rather than a random or spontaneous street attack. Investigators reconstructed the events leading up to the murder using CCTV footage, mobile phone data and other forensic evidence, establishing that the six-strong gang travelled together on electric bikes before intercepting Martin’s car on Stenson Road. The bikes were used to block or restrict the vehicle, allowing the group to surround him.
Once Martin was pulled from the car, he was attacked with multiple bladed weapons. The court heard that the gang continued to strike him about the head, chest and back even after he had fallen to the ground, with members of the group heard shouting “kill him, kill him” during the assault. CCTV captured both the gang’s approach on electric bikes and their departure from the scene, leaving Martin dying in the street. Extensive blood evidence was later recovered from the scene and from Martin’s Renault.
Differing verdicts among the defendants
Of the six men convicted, only Jayden Mannion-Roberts was found guilty of murder, while the remaining five were convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter, indicating that the jury drew a distinction between Mannion-Roberts’s criminal responsibility and that of his co-defendants. A seventh man, Carlus Grant-Finlayson, 18, also of Derby, had originally been charged with murder alongside the others but was acquitted following the trial.
Dramatic arrests
The investigation into Martin’s death led to a series of notable arrests. Bodycam footage showed two of the gang being detained at their homes while wearing only their underwear, while two further suspects were arrested at Gatwick Airport as police closed in on those responsible, suggesting officers were able to intercept them as they attempted to leave the country.
Police response
The investigation, carried out by Derbyshire Police, spanned roughly 15 months between Martin’s death in June 2025 and the convictions secured in September 2026, following the four-month Crown Court trial. Detective Sergeant Chris Wright of Derbyshire Police said Martin had lost his life in a “brutal, sustained, and planned attack.” He added: “They set out that night, armed with knives and with the intent to kill Dale – with those words ‘kill him, kill him’ shouted at the scene of the murder. His family now know who is responsible for his death and, while nothing will take away the trauma of losing a son, brother, and friend in such a way, they will now see those responsible face the consequences of their actions.”
DS Wright also thanked Martin’s family for their support throughout the investigation. “I would like to thank the family for their support during this investigation and for the manner in which they have conducted themselves during what has been a long and extremely difficult trial,” he said.
Sentencing to follow
The six convicted men are due to be sentenced at Loughborough Crown Court on 1 October 2026. The sentencing hearing is expected to provide further detail on each defendant’s individual role in the attack, any aggravating factors considered by the judge, and whether the court formally identifies the killing as gang-related.
