Three men sentenced in connection with the murder of Victor Hamilton Ballymena in 2022

Victor Hamilton

Three men were sentenced today, Wednesday 2 April, in connection with the murder of Victor Hamilton in Ballymena in 2022.

Mamadu Djalo, aged 32, Mario Menezes, aged 35, and Michael Hanrahan, 43, appeared before Belfast Crown Court.

Djalo was sentenced for manslaughter and will serve six years – half in custody and half on licence.

Menezes and Hanrahan, each sentenced for withholding information, will each serve two years – half in custody and half on licence.  

Victor Hamilton was 63 years old when he was murdered. Tragically, he was found dead in the driveway of his Ballymena home on the morning of 27 July 2022.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil McGuinness said:

“A post mortem examination determined that Mr Victor Hamilton died from a stab wound to his back.

“We know that four men, including the three defendants, had travelled from Portadown to Ballymena on the evening of 26 July in 2022. 

“They went to a property in the Orkney Drive area of the town, and it was here that the attack, which would take an innocent life, took place.

“Victor Hamilton, who lived in the adjacent flat, was a peaceable and well-loved man. Essentially, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

“It’s hard to find the right words to convey not only the horror, but also the senselessness, of this vicious stabbing.”

Detective Chief Inspector McGuinness continued:

“Mr Hamilton had moved to the town just a few weeks earlier, and his murder has left an entire community in shock.

“Today, my thoughts are with Victor’s many friends and, importantly, with his loving family who have been robbed of a father and a brother. It’s almost three years on now, and understandably their pain and sadness continue.”

The three defendants were arrested for their roles in connection with the murder, and have today been held accountable. A fourth suspect, however, fled the jurisdiction after the attack, and the Police Service’s investigation is ongoing.