Background & Context

Halloween night carries a familiar veneer of fun, fireworks and fancy dress. But in South London, several years saw the dress-up turn to dress-down in devastating ways. These cases illustrate how ordinary celebrations can collapse into extreme violence when a mix of alcohol, group dynamics, revenge, weapons and chance confrontations collide. All four victims were going out on Halloween or shortly after, and the attacks happened in public or semi-public spaces in Croydon, Sutton and Southwark, places meant for night-out socialising, not fatal ambushes. The common thread: a moment of disagreement or perceived insult against a backdrop of drinking and group confrontation, leading to far-too-many lives ended.

Ben, aged 30, worked in insurance and had gone out on Halloween to celebrate his girlfriend’s birthday in Sutton, South London. His night out had been routine until a minor confrontation changed everything. Scotty Kouebitra – A 22-year-old from Sutton who had been setting off fireworks with friends in Croydon on 31 October 2016, prior to being attacked. He was described as ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’.

Richard Price – A 23-year-old leaving the Swan & Mitre pub in Bromley High Street around midnight on Halloween, 2009, when he was ambushed outside the pub.

Rocky Djelal – A 38-year-old from Bermondsey, murdered on 31 October 2018 in Southwark Park. He was standing near a children’s playground when he was attacked. His attacker believed Rocky had been involved in the murder of his brother 18 years earlier.

Incident / Key Events

• Ben Gardner – After his girlfriend’s hat and wig were stolen outside a kebab shop in Sutton, a confrontation ensued. Ben attempted to defend her; one attacker punched him, another kicked his head as though taking a penalty, and he died from his injuries.

  
  

• Scotty Kouebitra – Around 8 pm on 31 October 2016, Scotty and friends were chased by up to eight masked men armed with baseball bats, knives and a screwdriver in a park in Croydon. He was stabbed in the neck, chest and arm and died that night.

  
  

• Richard Price – Shortly after midnight on Halloween, outside the Swan & Mitre pub in Bromley, Richard was ambushed in an alleyway by a group after leaving the pub. He was found with serious head injuries by police community officers and later died in hospital.

  
  

• Rocky Djelal – On the afternoon of 31 October 2018 (around 1.58 pm) in Southwark Park, Rocky was standing near the playground when his attacker, disguised as a builder in hi-vis jacket and boots, stabbed him three times from behind. The attacker believed Rocky was involved in his brother’s unsolved murder.

  
  

Investigation

• Ben Gardner – CCTV showed the group attacking Ben after the hat theft; the three men – Ross Collender, Jordan Dixon and Daniel Ransom – were later convicted of murder. The verdict was based on video evidence and witness statements.

  
  

• Scotty Kouebitra – Police analysed CCTV, tracked the two cars used by attackers, and matched evidence on a teenager’s tag monitoring handset. Jahliel Rose (21) and a 17-year-old were found guilty after trial.

  
  

• Richard Price – Four men were charged with murder following the attack: Murat Karabeyaz, Michael Liddell, Param-Jit Theara and Jagtar Johal. Investigators worked with post-mortem findings, injury patterns and witness/police patrol evidence.

• Rocky Djelal – The homicide squad used CCTV footage showing the attacker changing clothing three times, forensic finds of hi-vis jackets and boots at his home, and messages he sent prior to the killing about being ready for “Valhalla”. Stephen O’Rourke was arrested and tried.

  
  

Outcome

• Ben Gardner – Collender, Dixon and Ransom were found guilty of murder and face life sentences.

  
  

• Scotty Kouebitra – Rose and the 17-year-old were convicted; sentences included minimum 25 years for Rose and minimum 19 years for the teenager.

• Richard Price – The investigation charged four men, but publicly accessible records of full sentencing and outcomes are less clear in available sources.

• Rocky Djelal – Stephen O’Rourke was convicted of murder on 15 December 2020 and his sentencing was pending but he died in custody the next day.

Aftermath

• Ben Gardner – The father described his son’s final moments in a victim impact statement; the case remains a strong example of how a small confrontation on a night out turned fatal.

  
  

• Scotty Kouebitra – His friends and community were deeply shocked; the case fuelled conversation about young people, weapons and Halloween violence in South London.

  
  

• Richard Price – The case highlighted concerns about group violence outside pubs on celebratory nights and the vulnerability of people leaving hospitality venues on Halloween. (Outcome unclear)

  
  

• Rocky Djelal – His family said they would never get closure despite the conviction; his murder triggered questions about revenge killings, public park safety and the failings around earlier unsolved case of his attacker’s brother.