Two men jailed following stabbing in Norwich

Pictured: Left - Tyrell Chester, Right - Enock Kitopi

Two men have been sentenced to over 16 years in prison after attacking two other men on Silver Road, Norwich.

Tyrell Chester, aged 22, and of Heathgate, Norwich and Enock Kitopi, aged 23 and of Geoffrey Watling Way, Norwich both appeared before Norwich Crown Court on Wednesday 30 October 2024, having pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

Chester was charged with two counts of wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article. He has been sentenced to seven years and seven months in prison. Kitopi was charged with two counts of wounding with intent, two counts of possession of a bladed article and intimidation of a witness. He has been sentenced to eight years and six months in prison. Both men will spend five years on license upon their release.

The sentence follows an incident on the evening of Sunday 18 September 2022, when officers were informed that a double stabbing had taken place in Silver Road and two teenage men had been taken to hospital.

At around 8.30pm, Chester and Kitopi were travelling through Norwich on a moped when they approached their victims in an alleyway. Armed with a knife and a machete, they dismounted from the motorcycle and stabbed the two men, causing serious injury.

One victim suffered a collapsed lung as a result of the stab wound and a cut to the forehead and hand. The second victim suffered significant damage to the muscle and tendon of his left forearm which required surgery. He also had a stab wound to the shoulder. Both victims were discharged from hospital following treatment.

Both Chester and Kitopi were arrested on 21 September 2022, on suspicion of inflicting grievous bodily harm and were taken to Wymondham Police Investigation Centre for questioning. They were later released on bail.

Following this, on 23 January 2023, Kitopi walked into the city centre from his home address. At around 3.20pm, he came across the second victim as he entered St John’s alley. Kitopi proceeded to threaten the victim verbally whilst also drawing a machete from his waistband. The victim fled the scene to safety and was physically unharmed.

Kitopi was arrested for the second time on 25 January 2023 on suspicion of possession of a blade article. Officers seized clothing matching the description of the suspect as well as his mobile phone.

Following an examination of the device, police discovered written lyrics to a co-authored song, in which the authors recounted assaulting the two victims. The lyrics contained phrases such as ‘Ask ** how I left him bleeding’ and ‘Go ask ** how he nearly got wacked’. A recorded version of the song, performed by Chester and Kitopi, was also found.

Both men were later charged with wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article. Kitopi was also charged with witness intimidation.

The first victim’s personal statement, read aloud in court, detailed the effects the assault has had on his life. He commented, ‘I have no longer have any confidence to live my life, to the point that, every day, I wonder whether it would be easier if I weren͛t here at all. I have attempted to take my own life, and this has only made things even worse for me. There is no enjoyment left in life for me. I feel like I am just a shadow of my former self and that there is no hope of me ever being that person again.’

The second victim also commented, ‘The knock-on effect of being unable to work is that I can now barely afford to live, but even when I can afford to go out, to the shop for example, everything reminds me of what happened. If I so much as hear the sound of sound of a motorcycle, my chest becomes tight and I struggle to breathe. I find myself constantly looking for exit routes wherever I am, and even the slightest trigger can lead to flashes of what happened in my mind.’

Following the sentencing, investigating officer DC George Barker said: “This was a violent and premeditated assault, which almost cost two young victims their lives. Following the stabbings, Kitopi and Chester sought to avoid prosecution through fear and intimidation.

“It is my hope that the victims will now be able to move forward positively with their lives. The sentencing should send a strong message to our communities that violence on the streets of Norfolk will not be tolerated.”

This week, Tyrell Chester was sentenced to seven years and seven months and Enock Kitopi was sentenced to eight years and six months.