Two men convicted of fatal stabbing in Carlisle

Two men have been convicted of murder following a nine-day trial at Carlisle Crown Court.

Kane Hull, 29, and Liam Porter, 33, pleaded not guilty to murder and manslaughter when they appeared in court in March 2022

Ryan Kirkpatrick, 24, was fatally stabbed on 18 September 2021 in Carlyle’s Court, Carlisle.

The Prosecution's case was there had been bad blood between Ryan Kirkpatrick and Kane Hull for some time and this had led to the events that took place on 18 September 2022.

Ryan Kirkpatrick had been at a christening that day and then went on to Carlyle’s Court, where he and a group from the christening had continued to celebrate.

Around 8pm Liam Porter arrived in Carlyle’s Court where he saw Ryan Kirkpatrick, Porter then contacted Kane Hull.

Hull arrived at Carlyle’s court soon after the phone call. He walked towards Ryan Kirkpatrick and a scuffle ensued during which Hull picked up a glass, emptied it and attempted to injure Ryan. The fight was quickly broken up and Porter and Hull left the area in a Volvo car.

Around 15 minutes later they returned, this time both had their faces covered and Hull had a knife with him.

Hull headed straight towards Ryan and stabbed him a multiple times, before leaving the area in the Volvo car with Porter.

Despite the best efforts of friends and the emergency services Ryan Kirkpatrick died at 9.22pm that evening.

The police began an investigation into Ryan’s death. They were alerted by the fire service to the Volvo vehicle the pair had used to travel to Carlyle’s Court twice, the car had been set alight in Burgh, shortly after the incident.

The Court heard that Hull and Porter had tried to cover their tracks, firstly by wearing masks, then by setting the car alight, swapped phones, and aided by others, fled the country, travelling to Northern Ireland and then on to the Republic of Ireland.

Despite their considerable efforts, both were located and extradited.

Both denied any involvement in the murder of Ryan Kirkpatrick but were convicted after trial by a jury at Carlisle Crown Court. The sentence will follow on 24 October 2022.

Victoria Agulló Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West said: “Hull and Porter were determined to cause serious harm to Ryan Kirkpatrick and clearly planned and carried out the attack that left Ryan fatally wounded.

“They went to great lengths to evade capture, including disguising themselves, changing phones and ultimately feeling the country.

“The CPS worked with Cumbria Police from an early stage in the investigation to put a strong case before the jury, including eyewitness evidence, CCTV, phone attribution and cell site data to show the location of Hull and Porter and the fact they were together at key times. This enabled the jury to conclude that they were both responsible for Ryan’s death.

“When it was established that the pair were in the Republic of Ireland, the CPS, with the assistance of Cumbria Police, made successful applications to the Irish authorities to extradite Hull and Porter and also to obtain evidence which was crucial to the trial.

“My thoughts remain with Ryan’s family, who I hope can find some comfort in knowing that Ryan’s killers have been brought to justice.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Mick Bird is the senior investigating officer overseeing the case. Speaking after the verdicts, he said: “These two men denied their involvement in this horrific crime.

“But a jury have heard the evidence gathered by the officers of Cumbria Constabulary and put before them by the Crown Prosecution Service - and found them guilty.

“Ahead of their sentencing, I would like to thank the jury of ordinary members of the public who have sat and listened to the evidence surrounding this shocking attack, and the witnesses who have supported this prosecution, particularly those who gave evidence during the trial.

“I would also like to thank our colleagues within the Crown Prosecution Service and prosecuting counsel Tim Evans and Kim Whittlestone for the manner in which the case has been prepared and delivered at trial.

“Lastly I must thank the dedicated team of officers and staff from Cumbria Constabulary who worked round-the-clock on this investigation and who have shown great skill and professionalism throughout.

“This is an extremely unusual set of circumstances for Cumbria, in terms of the use of a weapon and the brutality involved, the subsequent manhunt and the community impact here in Carlisle.

“I hope the manner in which it has been dealt with and the outcome will reassure the public that their police force will act quickly and robustly to bring those responsible to justice.”