Mother’s grief as son’s killers jailed
THE mother of a man murdered by two thugs during a planned fight has said her family “will never get over losing him”.
Julie Cox was speaking after Andrew Hatrey and Kristian Humphries were jailed for life for the senseless and vicious killing of her 22-year-old son, Callum Hill.
Violent Hatrey had fixed a fight at an isolated landmark in Cornwall to settle an argument with Billy Humphries – no relation of Kristian but a friend of Plymouth father-of-one Mr Hill.
Alexander “Billy” Humphries drove him to Kit Hill, near Callington, on a March night last year, but never told him of the planned confrontation.
Hatrey, aged 38, and 30-yearold Kristian Humphries beat and fatally injured Mr Hill with a child’s cricket bat and a piece of wood.
Billy Humphries, aged 27, deliberately drove his Renault Megane into the attackers, seriously injuring Hatrey. But he then drove away, leaving his friend for dead.
Hatrey, of Callington, and Kristian Humphries, of Gunnislake, were found guilty of murder on Wednesday after a four-week trial at Plymouth Crown Court. Billy Humphries, also of Callington, was found guilty of assaulting Hatrey with intent to do him grievous bodily harm on March 26 last year.
All three men were found guilty of conspiracy to commit violent disorder – fixing the fight in the first place.
Prime mover Hatrey, who brought the weapons to the scene, must serve at least 26 years in prison before he is even considered for release.
Kristian Humphries must serve 15 years. Billy Humphries, who was also convicted by the jury, was jailed for 11 years but should be released at the two-thirds stage.
Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Rob Back, of
Devon and Cornwall Police’s Major Crime Investigation team, read a statement on behalf of Ms Cox at Crownhill Police Station after the sentencing.
Mr Hill leaves behind a fiveyear-old son.
He quoted: “We as a family are devastated by the loss of our darling Callum. He was a loving and caring son, partner, father and brother and we will never get over losing him.
“A mother should never have to bury her child and Callum’s loss will be felt by the whole family for the rest of our lives.
“Callum was vulnerable, disabled and had no idea what was planned at Kit Hill on that fateful night.
“Those responsible are really the most violent, cruel and horrible people.”
Judge Carr told Hatrey and Kristian Humphries in the dock: “It matters not who struck the fatal blow. You both actively anticipated in this vicious attack. This was a senseless murder of a young man with his whole life ahead of him.”
Judge Carr added that the dispute was not about drugs, as claimed by Hatrey, but about the defendant’s anger at a perceived slight from Billy Humphries, which he heard from a third party.
He told Hatrey: “You are someone who will engage in a fight with weapons rather than being seen to back down.”
Judge Carr said that he could not be sure that, unlike Hatrey, Kristian Humphries took a weapon to the scene on March 26 last year. That was the main reason for the disparity between the sentences of the two men.
He accepted that the main mitigation was that neither man had intended to kill but had been intent on causing serious injury.