Man guilty of murder over teen's drugs war death

A man has been found guilty of murdering a 19-year-old who was stabbed in the chest with a Rambo-style knife during a turf war between drugs gangs.

Kalvin Taylor was discovered by police on a sofa in Lefroy Road, in Mile Cross, Norwich, on 21 September 2024, almost a week after he was attacked by Leon Bangura.

The 21-year-old, of Old Kent Road in south-east London, was convicted on Thursday following a 12-week trial at Norwich Crown Court.

Adam Dugdale, 56, of Shorncliffe Avenue, Norwich, and Carrie-Anne Hall, 52, of Lodge Breck, Drayton, were both acquitted of murder or manslaughter.

Soulay Fornah, 19, of no fixed address, had denied murder, and Matthew Holmes, 53, of Bowthorpe Road, Norwich, had pleaded not guilty to assisting an offender.

Both were found not guilty earlier in the trial.

Police said Taylor was believed to have been working for the Batman drugs line and operated from the Lefroy Road flat, while Bangura worked for the rival Lenny line.

On 15 September, Bangura, Dugdale and Hall turned up at the flat.

A man was heard shouting "Where's the money?", and a jacket Taylor pointed to on the sofa was grabbed and taken, police said.

Bangura then stabbed Taylor in the chest before all three made off in a car.

A member of the public alerted a police patrol to Taylor's body on 21 September.

Bangura had previously pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine, possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, and possession of a knife.

Det Insp David McCormack said the case had demanded "an extraordinary level of specialist detective work and intelligence gathering", and praised the "immense courage" of Taylor's family.

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