Two men found guilty over the death of Tommy Boom

The trial of Tommy Boom's accused killers has delivered a decision today at Northampton Crown Court.

30 year old Tommy Boom, was stabbed to death in Millers Meadow, also known as Semilong Park, in Northampton on July 18th, 2024.

The prosecution had alleged that 21 year old Kieran Okocha-Sleight of no fixed address, was accused of murder along with 21 year old co-defendant Daniel Larman, also of no fixed address. He was also charged with one count of possession of a bladed weapon.

Family say Tommy was a 'loveable character' with 'heart of gold'

At the time of Tommy's death his family paid tribute to him saying: “We moved to Northampton from East London when Tommy was about 10, and although he was painfully shy as a youngster, he loved the outdoors and his social life. As a teenager he’d complain that school got in the way of his social life.

“Tommy was such a loveable character with a heart of gold and had lots of friends. He loved his daughter so much. It breaks our hearts that they will not have that chance to create a lifetime of memories together.

“We are a close family, and both (mum and dad) come from big families, who played a huge part in his life, especially when we were still living in Canning Town. Having to tell them that he’d been killed, ripped our world apart.

“We saw a different side of Tommy, one which he rarely showed to others. He was kind and could be quite sensitive, but he loved life and socialising. He had the most beautiful smile - it would always light up the room.

“Fitness was an absolute passion of his along with going to the gym, but he was also a foodie – loved to cook, looking for new recipes and of, course, eating! He could eat a three-course meal but still have room for a midnight snack.

“As a family we still feel numb about what has happened, it just doesn’t feel real that he is dead. It has just absolutely destroyed us.

“Reading all the tributes on social media along with the cards and flowers at Semilong Park has provided some source of comfort. It’s been nice to see how loved he was by other people and how he will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him.”

The family added their thanks to Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell, the investigative team and all those involved in the policing operation.

The court heard that the 21-year-old drug dealers (Larman and Okacha-Sleight) had agreed to meet a woman at Miller’s Meadow shortly after midnight on July 18th to sell her drugs.

When they arrived at the park, Okocha-Sleight sat next to her on a bench, while Larman stood in front of her, when Tommy appeared with another man and asked what they were doing there.

Larman pulled out a large hunting knife from his waistband, and when Tommy asked him what he was going to do with it and told him to put it down, Larman lunged at him, stabbing him twice – once in the side of the chest which proved to be the fatal blow.

Tommy collapsed, and despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he tragically died at the scene and a murder investigation was launched.

Following the killing, Larman and Okocha-Sleight filmed the murder weapon with Tommy’s blood on it with a banner which read “just had to juice a guy up” and sent it to an associate along with a second video of a blood-stained trainer with three laughing emojis.

At about 8.40am that morning, Larman filmed himself walking past the crime scene before fleeing Northampton by train to the Birmingham area, where he told the court that he disposed of blood-stained clothing and the weapon in a West Midlands canal.

With support from West Midlands Police, Larman and Okocha-Sleight were arrested the next day (Friday, July 19th) at an address in the Birmingham area, before going on to be subsequently charged with Tommy’s murder.

Despite providing no comment in his formal police interviews, during the trial Larman claimed he killed Tommy – who was unarmed – in self-defence as he had allegedly previously robbed Okocha-Sleight and thought the meeting was a trap.

However, the jury didn’t believe his version of events and found both men guilty of the brutal and unlawful killing of Tommy, despite the defence attempting to paint the father-of-one as the aggressor that night.

Speaking after the verdict, Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell, of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU), said: “During this trial both defendants tried in vain to taint the reputation of Tommy, painting a picture that he had been the aggressor and was armed with a knife. This was just not the case.

“We will never truly know what happened on that night, but what we can be certain of is that Tommy was unarmed and was murdered in cold blood by Daniel Larman, who admitted in court to habitually carrying a knife.

“Regardless of the life Tommy led or the circles he moved in, he did not deserve to be killed in such a brutal way and I am pleased the jury saw through Larman and Okocha-Sleight, who showed no remorse as they pleaded self-defence.

“Although today’s guilty verdict may bring some comfort to Tommy’s family and friends, I am sure this will not feel like a win and instead of celebrating the verdict, they would rather have their much-loved son and brother still alive.

“Tommy paid the ultimate price for being involved in the supply of drugs and exposed to the associated violence which goes with it, and two young men will spend much of their adulthoods in prison.

“Then there are their devastated loved ones – family and friends – whose worlds have been ripped apart and lives changed forever - there are never any winners in these circumstances as the impact of drugs and knife crime touches all our lives.

“Finally, I would like to thank Tommy’s family for their unwavering support and the dignified way they have conducted themselves during this trial, as well as all those who have played their part in this investigation, both witnesses and investigators, to help secure these convictions.”

Larman, previously of Kingstanding, in Birmingham, and Ockoha-Sleight, previously of Paget House, Woodside Way, in Northampton, will be sentenced at Northampton Crown Court at a date to be confirmed.

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