Man jailed for possessing knife used in fatal Bournemouth stabbing
Lennie Hansen's been given 13 months in custody
A man who admitted possession of a knife used in a fatal stabbing in Bournemouth town centre has been sentenced.
Lennie Hansen, aged 18 and of Waterlooville in Hampshire, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court today (3 May) to 13 months in custody after previously admitting a charge of possession of a bladed article.
The charge was linked to the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Cameron Hamilton in the area of The Square during the early hours of Saturday 5 August 2023.
Cameron was stabbed by Thomas Betteridge, aged 18 and of Southsea in Portsmouth, who had previously been found guilty of manslaughter and possession of a bladed article and was sentenced to nine years in custody, with an extended licence period of a further three years.
As part of the investigation into the death, led by detectives from Dorset Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT), evidence was uncovered that revealed Hansen had brought the knife into Bournemouth on the night of the stabbing.
Due to the large police presence, Hansen had hidden it behind a bench in The Square and it was later picked up by Betteridge and used in the stabbing incident.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Third, of MCIT, said: “Lennie Hansen’s decision to carry a knife on the day in question has had devastating consequences, as that knife has ended up being used to take a young man’s life.
“This case is a further reminder of the message that we cannot stress enough, which is that no good whatsoever can come from carrying a knife.
“We remain committed to working with our partners and Cameron’s family to do all we can to raise awareness of the horrific consequences of knife crime and take robust action against those found to be in possession of knives.”