Two men have been sentenced to prison following a tragic incident outside The Colour Factory nightclub in Hackney Wick, which resulted in the fatal stabbing of Trei Daley, a 26-year-old from Bromley. The incident occurred on February 11 of the previous year and has now culminated in legal repercussions for those involved.
Mawien Mawien, aged 39 and residing in Portland Close, Chadwell Heath, has been handed a five-year prison sentence for his role in a violent altercation outside the nightclub. During the confrontation, Trei Daley tragically lost his life due to a fatal stabbing.
At the sentencing, Judge Mark Dennis KC revealed that both Mawien and another defendant had concealed knives in their underwear during the altercation.
Mawien received a five-year prison sentence along with an 18-month sentence, to be served concurrently. Two-thirds of his time will be spent in custody, while the remaining third will be served on license.
Christopher Appiah-Blay, aged 35 and living on Wick Road, Hackney, was convicted of manslaughter. He has been sentenced to 14 years in prison and received an additional 12-month sentence, also to be served concurrently. Both of Appiah-Blay’s convictions were related to possession of a bladed article.
Similar to Mawien, two-thirds of Appiah-Blay’s sentence will be served in custody, with the remaining portion to be served on license.
The sentencing proceedings were emotionally charged, with statements read in court from Trei Daley’s mother and partner. Addressing the defendants, Judge Dennis KC remarked on the profound and irreversible impact of Daley’s death on those close to him. He commended the deceased’s family for their dignity and composure throughout the trial and during the sentencing hearing.
In his address to the defendants, Judge Dennis KC expressed his disappointment at the events that transpired, referring to the incident as “45 seconds of violence fueled by bravado and drink.” He emphasized that both defendants, despite being relatively young, were old enough to have handled the situation differently and without resorting to violence. He condemned their decision to escalate a minor altercation into a lethal encounter by producing knives.
During the trial, the jury learned that Trei Daley and his friends had been celebrating a friend’s birthday when they became embroiled in a dispute with Mawien and Appiah-Blay, individuals they had never met before. The altercation began when Appiah-Blay got into an argument with a young woman, leading to the exchange of heated words and a drink being thrown.
Despite a temporary calm, tensions resurfaced, ultimately resulting in a physical altercation. Appiah-Blay produced a knife during the fight and stabbed Trei Daley twice in the chest, with one of the stabbings piercing his heart. Trei was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead within the hour.
The sentencing serves as a sombre reminder of the tragic consequences of violence and the importance of peaceful conflict resolution.
