Two killers, who carried out the murder of a man in Carlisle city centre in front of crowds of horrified people, have been jailed for life.
Kane Hull, 29, and Liam Porter, 33, went on the run in a bid to escape justice after Ryan Kirkpatrick was stabbed to death on a night out in Carlyle’s Court on September 18 last year.
But a team of police officers working round the clock on the case tracked them to the Republic of Ireland, where they were arrested and brought back to face a court in Cumbria.
The senior investigating officer in the case today said Cumbria was a safer place after both men were imprisoned following the work of police officers, staff and crown prosecutors.
The judge in the case, Mr Justice Linden, said Hull, of no fixed address, must serve at least 28 years of his sentence behind bars, while Porter, of Fulmar Place, Carlisle must serve 26 years in prison.
Both had denied murder but were convicted by a jury following a trial at Carlisle Crown Court.
The fatal attack happened on a Saturday night. Mr Kirkpatrick, 24, had been socialising in Carlyle’s Court when there was an incident in which Hull, who was with Porter, had tried to assault Mr Kirkpatrick with a glass.
Hull and Porter left. But about 15 minutes later both men entered Carlyle’s Court with their faces covered.
Hull ran to Mr Kirkpatrick and stabbed him multiple times. Hull and Porter then fled. Despite the best efforts of people nearby, attending police and paramedics, Mr Kirkpatrick died of his injuries.
The car Hull and Porter had used was later found burning in the Burgh-by-Sands area.
A huge police response was by now underway.
Officers, working from a major incident room, painstakingly followed numerous leads and lines of enquiry and poured over CCTV images.
Other police and constabulary staff were drafted into the enquiry from across Cumbria, with other agencies also helping with what was by then a huge manhunt.
Hull and Porter, helped by others, tried to evade capture and eventually made their way to the Republic of Ireland, travelling initially into Scotland, then by ferry to Northern Ireland.
But on September 28 Hull and Porter were arrested by Gardai – the Republic of Ireland police – during a cross-border operation.
An extradition process followed and they were brought back to Cumbria.
Detective Chief Superintendent Mick Bird was the senior investigating officer overseeing the case.
Speaking after the sentencing, he said: “We are pleased that our investigation has resulted in justice for Ryan and his family.
“This was a planned attack which intended to cause serious injury and those responsible then left this young man to die while they fled the country.
“Nobody should ever be subjected to this and Cumbria is now a safer place because Hull and Porter are now in prison. This was a shocking attack that robbed a young man of his life, his family and friends of a loved one – and which horrified all those present at the time.
“Ordinary members of the public, paramedics and police officers tried to save Mr Kirkpatrick’s life. But despite their efforts he was pronounced deceased at the scene.
“What followed was one of the most significant and resource-intensive investigations in Cumbria in recent years.
“It saw officers and staff working day and night to track down Hull and Porter and involved the assistance of other law enforcement agencies, both in England and across Scotland, Northern Ireland and into the Republic of Ireland.
“Family Liaison Officers were quickly deployed to assist the investigation and support the family and keep them informed throughout.
“Incidents such as these are deeply traumatic for any family. We hope this result gives the family some form of closure and comfort that those involved in his death are in prison for their involvement.“
Det Chief Supt Bird added: “We are fortunate in Cumbria that we do not suffer from a culture where knives are routinely carried by criminals or gangs, as can sometimes be observed in more metropolitan areas.
“But we are never complacent and tackling serious violence, including knife crime, is always a priority for Cumbria Constabulary – and we have a good record of bringing those who use or carry knives to justice.
“This is an extremely unusual set of circumstances for Cumbria, in terms of the use of weapons and brutality involved, the subsequent manhunt and the impact here in Carlisle.
“I hope the manner in which it has been dealt with and the outcome will reassure the public that their police force will act quickly and robustly to bring those responsible to justice.”
