Ajay Porter has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for causing fatal injuries to Derek O’Hare during an assault in Dover. The 36-year-old, formerly of Oswald Road, was found guilty of manslaughter following a three-week trial at Canterbury Crown Court and was sentenced on Friday, October 25, 2024. In addition to his prison term, Porter will serve an additional four years on licence.
The incident occurred on the evening of Monday, December 11, 2023, in the stairwell of a block of flats on Anstee Road. Shortly after 10 pm, Kent Police responded to reports of a disturbance. Emergency services arrived to find Mr O’Hare suffering from multiple stab wounds, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives from Kent Police launched an investigation, leading to Porter’s arrest later that week. The court heard that Porter and Mr O’Hare were known to each other, and messages exchanged between them in the days leading up to the attack showed Porter had become increasingly angry with the victim. Phone records also indicated that the two men spoke shortly before the incident.
CCTV footage captured Porter leaving his home soon after the call. Minutes later, witnesses in the building heard shouting and saw Porter confronting Mr. O’Hare in the stairwell before fleeing the scene. Forensic evidence, including DNA traces found on a stick at the scene, linked Porter to the crime.
Detective Inspector Colin McKeen commented: “This was an extremely violent attack outside Derek O’Hare’s home, which left him with catastrophic and unsurvivable injuries. Porter is a dangerous man, who I am pleased we have taken off the streets of Dover. My thoughts and those of my team remain with Mr. O’Hare’s family. I hope the sentence now imposed gives them some comfort as they cope with their loss.”
The sentence brings some resolution to the tragic incident, with authorities emphasizing their commitment to removing dangerous individuals from the community.
