News / Crime
Life sentence for men who murdered Jama Powell in Bristol nightclub
Two men have been sentenced to life in jail for the murder of Jamel Powell.
Eroll Anderson, 56, and his nephew Ian Power, 40, were found guilty of stabbing the 37-year-old to death in a “vicious, pre-meditated attack” on Tuesday, July 17, following a three-week trial at Bristol Crown Court.
The loving father, known as Jama, was stabbed repeatedly on the dancefloor of the Blue Mountain nightclub on Stokes Croft in the early hours of December 30 2017. He died just hours later at the BRI.
Jama Powell – photo from Bristol Sofa Doctor on Facebook
Anderson, of Two Mile Hill, has been sentenced to a minimum term of 27 years in prison and Power, from Gloucester, has been told he faces at least 21 years behind bars.
The court heard how the murder was a pre-meditated attack, motivated by a historic feud.
Power travelled from his home to Bristol to meet up with Anderson before carrying out the “frenzied knife attack” on the crowded dancefloor.
Anderson was arrested in Bristol later the same day, while Power fled back to Gloucester before handing himself into police and admitted he had been involved in a fight.
The pair, who refused to answer police questions, were both charged with murder.
Police say their conviction follows a comprehensive investigation, which provided jurors with a complete narrative of the incident using a series of CCTV clips, detailed phone records, witness statements and sketches.
Forensic analysis of the clothing worn by culprits also proved decisive – with Jama’s blood found on a number of items worn by the pair.
A friend of the defendants, Juliette Campbell, 42, of Felix Road, Easton, has been found guilty of attempting to cover up the murder.
The jury heard how she blocked members of the public from leaving the club to help Power and Anderson escape, persuaded a woman not to call 999 and removed the two knives used in the murder from the scene. She also deliberately tried to mislead a police officer when spoken to outside the club.
Campbell will be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Monday.
Detective chief inspector James Riccio said: “The motive for this murder lies in a historic feud which Power could simply not let go of.
“Jama was out enjoying the festive period when he was brutally set upon by Power and his uncle in a frenzied knife attack.
“I’d like to pay tribute to the hard work and determination shown by all the officers and staff involved in the investigation who put together all the pieces of the jigsaw needed to prove conclusively to the jury that Power and Anderson were responsible.
“The incident happened in a very public place in front of a significant number of people and I’d also like to thank the brave witnesses who gave evidence in this trial for their crucial input.
“My thoughts are with Jama’s family and close friends who’ve had to come to terms with the life-changing impact of this appalling crime. I hope these successful convictions will help them move forward with their lives.”
John Penny from the Crown Prosecution Service added his thanks to witnesses for their bravery, saying:
“These witnesses’ testimonies, supported by CCTV footage and mobile phone records, enabled the prosecution to piece together an accurate timeline of the events of that night. Through this we demonstrated that Jamal Powell was not the victim of a random act of violence, but was instead the intended target of a vicious, pre-meditated attack”.
A makeshift shrine was left outside Blue Mountain in memory of Jama Powell
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