Brothers cleared of street brawl murder

Dec 7 2009 By Jack Griffith

TWO BROTHERS accused of stabbing 20 year-old Sanchez Alexander to death in a street brawl walked free from the Old Bailey today (Dec 7) after being cleared of all charges.

Matthew Carty, 28, and Ishmael Carty, 22, both of Compton Crescent, Hayes, faced charges of manslaughter and murder after the fatal attack in Willow Tree Lane, Hayes, on April 30, in which the older brother knifed Mr Alexander following an earlier argument. The jury deliberated the verdict for 15 hours and 51 minutes before finding the two brothers not guilty on both counts.

Matthew Carty admitted the stabbing but insisted he was acting in self defence.

He told jurors: "After he stabbed me my reaction was shock. I just hit him off me to stop him from stabbing me again. It all happened fast.

"He was trying to get the knife back and take control. I was trying to free myself from his grip. I have just been stabbed in my leg."

His younger brother told jurors he had merely been trying to break up the fight and 'had no idea' of the extent of the victim's injuries.

Ishmael said: "They were both punching each other. I pulled my brother off eventually and turned round and ran towards the car."

The Court heard how, after an argument outside a parade of shops in Willow Tree Lane, Hayes, in which Mr Alexander was beaten to the ground by the Cartys, he retreated to a chip shop and grabbed a knife. He then stabbed Matthew Carty in the leg before the knife fell from his grasp in the fight that followed. It was recovered by the older brother and the pair chased Mr Alexander down the road.

The prosecution asserted that the attack was carried out to exact revenge after Matthew Carty was himself stabbed in the leg by the victim.

Prosecutor Christopher Kinch QC said: "Of course they would be entitled to defend themselves from an attack.

"It was not reasonable to go after someone in superior numbers and exact retribution or revenge."

It was also claimed that the younger brother beat the victim as he was on the ground while the older brother inflicted the fatal wound to Mr Alexander's left armpit, causing his lung to collapse. He was taken to Ealing Hospital and received a massive blood transfusion but died shortly after.

Matthew Carty later attended the same hospital for treatment on two knife wounds to his leg.

Trouble flared between him and members of Mr Alexander's family and he was transferred to another medical centre where he was later arrested for murder.