Ace drug line killers jailed for life over veteran murder

Craig Dean’s killers handed life sentences after court hears drug line enforcers carried out a calculated punishment beating that left the 53-year-old fatally injured in Birmingham. Two men have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Craig Dean following what a judge described as a “punishment beating” linked to a drugs line operation in Birmingham.

Hamza Khan, 23, of Anderton Park Road, Birmingham, was ordered to serve a minimum term of 17 years before being eligible to apply for parole, while Mohammed Rahman, 25, of Mapleton Grove, Birmingham, must serve a minimum of 17 years and six months. The sentences were imposed at Birmingham Crown Court on 24 February after both men were convicted by a jury of murdering Dean, 53.

Dean died in hospital two days after he was attacked on Springfield Road, Kings Heath, on 7 July last year. He never regained consciousness.

Sentencing the defendants, Judge Andrew Smith KC said the evidence established that both men had intended to cause serious bodily harm during the assault, although he accepted they had not set out with an intention to kill. The judge described the attack as a punishment beating carried out in the context of their drugs business.

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The court had previously heard that Khan and Rahman operated a drugs line known as the “Ace Line”. On the afternoon of 7 July, they drove to Springfield Road in a black Vauxhall Corsa after an exchange of text messages with Dean. Prosecutors said the defendants were angry that Dean had recommended an alternative dealer to other drug users.

At about 4.50pm, both men got out of the vehicle and confronted Dean outside his address. The assault did not end when he fell to the ground. Not content when he was knocked down, Khan and Rahman continued the attack, repeatedly kicking him and stomping on his head before returning to their car and driving away.

Dean was taken to hospital but died two days later after life support was withdrawn.

During the trial, both defendants denied murder and an alternative count of manslaughter, accepting that they had been present during a violent incident but claiming they had acted in lawful self-defence. The jury rejected that account and returned unanimous guilty verdicts.

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In passing sentence, Judge Smith said the level of violence demonstrated an intention to cause really serious harm. Rahman received the longer minimum term due to a previous conviction for supplying heroin and crack cocaine. The court also heard that after the killing Rahman travelled to Bangladesh before returning to the United Kingdom, where he was arrested at Heathrow Airport. Members of his family had been detained for questioning during the investigation.

Victim personal statements were read to the court by members of Dean’s family. His daughter, Teryn Dean, speaking in a recorded message on behalf of her sisters Amber and Ashlyn, said their father had “coached our soccer teams and taught us to drive”. She told the court he would “never get to meet his future grandchildren”.

Barbara Hobson, Dean’s sister, said: “His future was stolen in 38 seconds on Springfield Road.” She described his earlier service in the United States Navy and with the San Diego Fire Department, and said he had struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction.

Laura Webb, Dean’s partner of five years, told the court: “He was tough but had a lot of love inside him.” She said he had hoped to marry and “live on a farm”.

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Khan and Rahman were both remanded in custody to continue serving their life sentences.