Hartlepool man found guilty of murdering pensioner in the street
45 year old Ahmed Alid killed 70 year old Terrence Carney in October last year, after attacking his housemate
A Hartlepool man has been found guilty of the murder of a 70 year old man in the town centre, and the attempted murder of his housemate.
45 year old Ahmed Alid had admitted carrying out the attacks in the early hours of the 15th of October last year, but denied murder and attempted murder.
He stabbed his housemate, Javed Nouri, while he was asleep in bed in their shared asylum seeker accommodation in Wharton Terrace, but Mr Nouri managed to fight him off.
Alid then fled the property and came across Mr Carney.
He has told Teesside Crown Court "he lost his mind" before he stabbed the pensioner, and indicated he was "scared" of Mr Nouri during the struggle in his housemate's room.
The prosecution also told the court that Alid, who was born in Morocco and who moved around Europe for years, was seeking "revenge" for the Israel-Palestine conflict.
He admits stabbing both men in the early hours of October 15, eight days after Hamas launched their attacks on Israel.
The family of Terrence Carney have issued a statement:
"We would like to thank everyone involved in the investigation, from the first responding officers, whose swift actions that day prevented anyone else from being hurt, to the investigation team.
"We would also like to thank the prosecution team, the judge, and the jury, who’s commitment during this trial has resulted in the correct decision being made.
"We are extremely grateful to our Family Liaison team who continue to be of great support to us during these extremely difficult times.
"We would not want anyone else to have to go through what we have had to go through over the last 6 months, and what we will continue to go through for the rest of our lives. For us, things will never be the same again.
"We would especially like to thank Mr Javad Nouri, Mr Ariyan Karimi and Mr Mohammed Karimi. What they themselves endured that night was truly horrific, they believed they too were going to die. Despite this, they fully assisted the police with their enquiries and gave their evidence in court, which is testament to their characters.
"These three men were the voice of our loved one, when he was unable to speak out for himself. For this we will forever be grateful to them.
"We have watched the whole trial intently, and whilst today’s guilty verdict will not bring back Terence our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, we can take some small comfort in knowing that justice has been served.
"We would now like the time to grieve for him privately. "
Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley is the Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East. He said: “The horrific attacks in Hartlepool were unprovoked and deeply disturbing. Alid seriously injured one man and deliberately took the life of another.
“Terence Carney’s family and friends have been left devastated by the tragic outcome of Alid’s actions and have lost a much-loved husband, father, and grandfather. Our deepest sympathies go out to them.
“I have no doubt that the swift response of the attending officers prevented further harm or loss of life that morning. We’re grateful for their bravery in the face of a dangerous and unpredictable suspect. I’d also like to thank the people of Hartlepool for their calm and measured response to that day’s events and for the resilience they showed in the weeks that followed.”
Deputy Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, Victoria Fuller, said: “The shocking events in Hartlepool on 15 October 2023, which led to the tragic death of 70-year-old Terence Carney, shook the local community to its core.
“Alid’s actions not only left a family devastated, but also caused significant fear and distress amongst residents in Hartlepool and beyond.
“Following the initial response which saw swift and brave actions from Cleveland Police Officers, the force has supported Counter Terrorism Policing North East throughout their investigation.
“Local Neighbourhood Policing Teams in Hartlepool will be undertaking high visibility patrols to provide reassurance to the local community, and officers will be a point of contact should anyone have any concerns.”