Three men jailed for the brutal murder of man dragged from taxi and stabbed to death

Three men have been jailed for the brutal killing of a man they dragged from a taxi moments before stabbing him to death.

Footage, which was shown in court, recorded the last time young dad Anthony Winter was seen alive.

In the chilling scene, Winter can been seen being dragged from a taxi into woodland by his killers, who went on to deliver a fatal stab wound to his leg. The CCTV, which was first reported in the Wales Online, was recorded on Brookfield Drive in St Mellons at around 6.35am on 22 November 2018.

(Anthony Winter)

Winter had been viciously assaulted at a flat in Newport before he was able to get into the back of a taxi, which was being driven by Nasib Dhatt. Dhatt described the victim as being slumped in the back seat making groaning noises.

Dhatt, who gave evidence at the trial, said: “He could not sit properly. He was leaning to one side and he was making a noise all the way.” The court heard Mr Winter was sitting in the middle of the back seat, with Harvey Huchet behind the driver’s seat. A 17-year-old girl was sitting in the front with James Jones behind her.

Moments later he was dragged from the vehicle, stabbed and left to die.

Anthony Winter, 32, was found lying in a pool of blood on a footpath near woodland in St Mellons, Cardiff, just before 7.15am. Three men have been convicted of killing him and have been sentenced. Two females, aged 17 and 19, have been sentenced for perverting the course of justice. James Jones, 19, pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to life with a minimum term of 20 years.

(James Jones)

John Phillips, 28, found guilty of manslaughter, sentenced to 22 years.

(John Phillips)

Harvey Huchet, 17, found guilty of manslaughter, sentenced to 12 years’ detention in a young offender institution.

(Harvey Huchet)

Lauren Hutchinson, 19, from Munnings Drive in Newport, has been sentenced to 18 months detention in a young offender institution. A 17-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been sentenced to a youth rehabilitation order including an 18-month supervision order and a two-month curfew. They both admitted perverting the course of justice by cleaning the flat where Anthony Winter was assaulted. Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Matt Powell, said: “Today concludes a South Wales Police investigation into a violent, sustained attack on Anthony Winter which started in Newport and fatally concluded in Cardiff. “Sadly, this case once again highlights the devastating impact that controlled drugs and the criminal use of a knife can have on someone and their family. “We also acknowledge the trauma suffered by a number of witnesses who stayed with Anthony until the arrival of the emergency services and thank those who assisted the investigation. “Anthony’s family have been courageous and shown immense dignity since learning the tragic news of Anthony’s murder and throughout the trial at Cardiff Crown Court. “Nothing will compensate them for their sudden and devastating loss but we hope that the verdicts and today’s sentences will give them some piece of mind that justice has been served.” In a touching statement, Winter's family said: “In the eight months since we lost Anthony, we as a family had to wait nearly three months to lay him to rest and until now for justice. “Anthony loved and missed his mum and dad who died three and 12 years ago respectively, but above all he doted on his two- year-old daughter who is now growing up without him. “We will remember Anthony as gentle man and father, always laughing, sometimes trying his luck, never cruel and without a malicious bone in his body. “He wasn’t perfect, but none of us are, and an elderly neighbour remembers how he used to help her on the bus, and even waited with her holding her shopping; and how respectful he always was. “Anthony was a lifelong Liverpool supporter and friends and family wore football shirts to his funeral as a mark of respect and affection. “He also loved boxing and would watch fights with his eldest brother, enjoying a beer and a few laughs. “Anthony was close to all his brothers and sisters and is missed by everyone – losing him has left a huge gap in our lives. “He did not deserve to die the way he did. “He was led into vulnerable circumstances and viciously attacked by these monsters – people he considered friends. “We wanted the highest tariff possible for the three people responsible for his death, ultimately only one of them was guilty of murder, with the remaining two being convicted of manslaughter. “As a family, we would like to take this opportunity to thank the emergency services for trying so desperately to save Anthony’s life on the morning he died. “We also thank South Wales Police who worked so tirelessly alongside the Crown Prosecution Service to deliver justice for Anthony from the moment he was found, and for their unfaltering support through a very difficult time. “The family would like to be given time to grieve and to recover from this most traumatic of experiences.”