Neil Orton

THE FOLLOWING IS FROM A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE IN THE HEMEL HEMPSTEAD GAZETTE

Two men have been charged with the murder of Hemel Hempstead man Neil Orton.
44-year-old Mr Orton was attacked at his home in Jupiter Drive, Highfield, Hemel Hempstead at some time between 11pm on Wednesday, June 13 and 1am the following morning.

Mr Orton drove himself to Hemel Hempstead Hospital suffering with several stab wounds early on Thursday, June 14. He underwent surgery but later died.


TRIAL AND VERDICT NEWSPAPER REPORT

Murderer jailed for life


Murderer Kevin Spires has been sentenced to life for killing Hemel Hempstead dad Neil Orton.
A long standing feud between the two men ended when Spires plunged a knife into Mr Orton seven times.

Earlier they had played pool together in a pub in an apparent truce.
But later, back at Mr Orton's flat Spires carried out the stabbing.

Mr Orton, whose spleen had been severed in the attack, managed to drive himself to hospital where he underwent two emergency operations.

But after suffering a heart attack he died hours later.

Today at St Albans Crown Court 36-year-old Spires, of Cuffley Court, Woodhall Farm, was found guilty after denying the murder.

Sentencing him Judge Michael Baker QC said: "You have been convicted of murder and the sentence for murder is fixed by law. You will be sentenced to imprisonment for life."

Spires was told the minimum term he must serve before he can be considered for parole is 16 years, less the 298 days he served in custody awaiting trial.

During the trial the jury heard how there was a history of bad feeling between Spires and Mr Orton who was 44 when he died last June.

Both men were no strangers to violence and both had convictions for offences against the person and drugs.

Mr Orton himself had once been shot in the head in an incident on the M1 near Watford.

The case against the man accused of carrying out the shooting collapsed after Mr Orton withdrew a statement he had given police.

The court heard how in 2005 Spires was the victim of a beating in a Hemel Hempstead street said to have been dished out By Mr Orton and two other men.

Spires suffered a broken arm and cuts and bruises but he also "honoured the code of silence and principal of self help" by not talking to the police, said George Heimler, prosecuting.

On the evening of June 13 last year Mr Orton, of Jupiter Drive, Hemel Hempstead was drinking in the Royal Stag pub in the town when Spires came in.

The jury heard that Mr Orton wanted to end the feud between them and they spent the evening playing pool.

At the end of the evening the pair and a friend of Spires went back to Mr Orton's flat.

Moments after arriving, Spires had stabbed Mr Orton seven times in the chest and back.

He fled the scene but in the small hours visited a number of people telling them what he'd done and not realising that Mr Orton was dying.

Even after driving himself to the A&E department at Hemel Hemsptead Hospital where he arrived just before midnight, Mr Orton was reluctant to give his details to staff and didn't want the police to be informed.

When a porter who knew him asked what had happened he simply replied "S*** happens."

He was bleeding internally and underwent two operations. As a result of falling blood pressure he died at lunchtime the following day.

Passing
sentence the judge told Spires: "In the pub there was no sign of trouble between you and Mr Orton but earlier events make it likely you bore him a grudge."

The judge said that in telling a number of people what he had done in the hours following the attack, Spires had believed that out of fear or loyalty they would keep quiet.

He went on: "But your belief was ill-founded and a number of witnesses decided they could not keep silent."

After Spires had been led away to begin his sentence Judge Baker said he wanted to express his own condolences and sympathy to the friends and family of Mr Orton who were in the public gallery.