Nine members of a drugs gang have been found guilty of murder after stabbing a man in a case of mistaken identity in Nottingham. Michael Anton O'Connor, 31, died in hospital after being attacked in The Meadows estate on 10 November 2021.
Nottinghamshire Police said O'Connor was acting as a peacemaker between two rival gangs but was mistaken for a drugs kingpin. He was ambushed outside a house in Wilford Crescent West and later died from a stab wound to the heart.
The court heard O'Connor went unarmed and was unaware he was heading into a trap. Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin described the killing as 'cowardly in the extreme', noting the attackers were armed with a gun, sword, knife, axe and hammer.
In addition to the nine murder convictions, two women were found guilty of other offences: Kerry-Anne Shepherd, 35, of assisting an offender, and Gemma Fearon, 38, of encouraging or assisting an offence believing it would be committed. Two other defendants were acquitted.
The convicted individuals will be sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on 20 June. Detective Chief Inspector Rob Routledge praised the jury's verdict, stating the defendants denied involvement in the 'brutal attack'.
