Police announce guilty verdicts in Levi Kent case

HAMPSHIRE CONSTABULARY have officially announced that a total of eight individuals have all been found ‘guilty’ of various offences in connection with the ‘tragic’ murder of Levi Kent in Bridgemary in November 2023; their final verdicts on Friday afternoon concluding the lengthy six week jury trial which began in late June within Portsmouth Crown Court.

Officers were called to Keyes Road in Bridgemary at 2:32am on November 24 (Friday) to several reports of an assault on twenty-two year old Levi Kent; who had been stabbed six times and sadly died of his injuries shortly afterwards. An investigation saw eight people arrested on charges including murder, robbery, and assisting offenders amongst others.

The trial heard that half brothers Tommy West (18 years old) organised two drug deal with Levi Kent and met the victim alongside Aiden West (25 years old). After a first stabbing from Tommy and crashing the vehicle into a wall Levi tried to escape but was stabbed again in his chest / thigh multiple times. Aiden then kicked his head and searched his pockets.

Tommy West pleaded guilty to the charges of murder, robbery and possession of a bladed article at the start of the trial, whilst Aiden West was found guilty of murder and robbery. Aiden West was found not guilty by the jury of possessing a bladed article as he didn’t use the knife, which was thrown onto the ‘roof’ of the nearby medical centre in the aftermath.

Sarah Flynn also pleaded guilty to one charge of assisting an offender as she put clothes from Tommy into a bin at her address in James Close; where Tommy and Aiden West travelled after the murder. Their mother Joanne West pleaded guilty at the start of the trial to two charges of assisting an offender after she paid for a ‘taxi; to Liam Savage’s address.

Both attackers were then picked up by Tommy’s dad Peter West and another male called Michael Figgins; before being driven to various locations and enabled the discarding of clothing at a friends address. The men were found guilty on a count of assisting an offender (Tommy) but not guilty in relation to Aiden whilst Liam Savage pleaded guilty (2 charges).

Mark Phillips furthermore pleaded guilty to one charge of perverting the course of justice after giving a ‘false’ statement to police. It is stated that he was present when Joanne West was arrested and gave untrue information to investigators about the taxi booking she made for her sons. All eight will be sentenced at a hearing to be held on October 15 and 16.

Readers can read more detailed information about the case and its separate verdicts by visiting the link; which includes statements from the Chief Inspector Chris Spellerberg and Matt Gillooly reacting to this development on Friday (16/08).

PICTURED BY ALAMY (MWJJX8): Stock imagery of local police officers from Hampshire Constabulary at public event.