Joe Dix: Norwich gang trio jailed over drugs murder

Hans Beeharry, 20, Benjamin Gil, 19, and Cameron Palmer, also 19 - all affiliated with the Norwich gang On The Money (OTM) - attacked Joe Dix near his flat in Vale Green, Mile Cross. 

Police at Vale Green after Joe Dix was fatally stabbed (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)Mr Dix, who himself had a conviction for drug offences, was heading out to confront the trio after being called to help a friend in a nearby crack den that they had attempted to raid.

The three had gone armed with at least one knife to threaten those in the property, which was being used by a county lines drug gang.

They met Mr Dix in the street and, after chasing him, stabbed him seven times.

But Mr Dix was pronounced dead in hospital just over an hour later - by which time his attackers were playing football on the other side of the city.

On Wednesday (October 4) Beeharry, Gil and Palmer appeared in court for sentencing, having been found guilty of murder after a second trial in the summer.

Cameron Palmer, Hans Beeharry and Benjamin Gil (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)Sentencing Beeharry to life imprisonment with a minimum of 20 years, Gil to life imprisonment with a minimum of 21 years and Palmer to life with a minimum of 21 years Judge Alice Robinson said all three “collectively” took a knife, or at least two knives, to the scene and “used that knife to commit the murder”.

She said the onslaught on Mr Dix was “swift” and a “group attack in which you all played a part”.

Judge Robinson said they had gone to the area to commit a robbery organised by Palmer.

Judge Alice Robinson (Image: Newsquest)The judge said in recent years Mr Dix had “fallen into drug and gang culture” but said he had been making plans for the future.

Judge Robinson said his death had “left his family bereft” and that his parents “never got the chance to say goodbye”.

Before the trio were sentenced Mr Dix's mother Emma, 46, read out a moving victim impact statement on behalf of the family, including Joe's father Phil, also 46.

Joe Dix and his family (Image: Supplied by family of Joe Dix)She said: "It's unthinkable that a child should die before their parents.

"Joe was not sick nor did we get to say goodbye.

"He was taken from us; he was murdered."

Emma added: "We have been served our own life sentence."

The trial, which started on August 2 this year, heard Mr Dix left his Vale Green flat after he received a phone call. He told his partner: "My friend is in trouble."

Police in Vale Green after Joe Dix was fatally stabbed (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)The flat where Mr Dix was heading was described by his partner as a "crack house" where a drug dealer had set up a county lines drugs operation.

Gil, of Lefroy Road, Norwich, Beeharry, of Bracondale, Norwich, and Palmer, of Theobald Road, Norwich had all been dropped off at Sloughbottom Park, near Vale Green, at 6.21pm on January 28 last year.

Jurors heard messages later found on the killers' phones related to "a robbery of cash and or drugs" from the Vale Green flat in which they "were to be involved".

Vale Green sealed off after Joe Dix was fatally stabbed (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)CCTV cameras in the area picked up Mr Dix being chased by the defendants.

Both Gil and Palmer were holding weapons during the pursuit before Mr Dix was killed.

Benjamin Gil and Cameron Palmer in the pursuit of Joe Dix (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)At 6.55pm Mr Dix could be seen on the footage walking back walking towards his home before collapsing.

Joe Dix caught on CCTV after the stabbiing (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

At Wednesday's sentencing hearing William Hughes KC, prosecuting, said having been convicted of murder the defendants' faced a "mandatory life sentence".

Elizabeth Marsh KC, for Beeharry, said he had been aware Gil had a knife but "didn't anticipate it was going to be used".

She said he joined the pursuit of Mr Dix but "vehemently denies" having a weapon on him adding the murder was "not premedidated or planned in any way".

Simon Spence KC, for Palmer, said his client was a "young man" who, together with his co-defendants, "fell into a dark and murky world of drugs in Norwich and beyond" adding it was a "curse to the entire country".

Justin Rouse KC, for Gil, said his client had no previous convictions, unlike his co-defendants, and was just 18 at the time of the murder.

He said as "senseless and stupid" as it was he had a knife with him to "intimidate" the drug dealer they had gone to rob.

They were convicted at the end of August in the second trial they faced following an earlier one in January.

Jurors in that trial had to be discharged towards the end of the case in the light of new evidence which was obtained after police managed to unlock a phone belonging to one of the defendants.

The river Yare (Image: Newsquest)The handset, belonging to Palmer, had been disposed of in the river Yare near Stoke Road together with phones belonging to Beeharry and Gil.

Beeharry and Palmer's phones were recovered in February 2022 with Beeharry's being accessed before the first trial and Palmer's being unlocked earlier this year as the initial trial was reaching its climax.

It meant jurors had to be discharged and the trial refixed to allow the new evidence, uncovered on Palmer's phone, to be introduced in the case.

As well as group chat messages about the killing the unlocking of the phone also enabled police to be able to locate burnt-out clothing worn by the killers on the night of the murder.