Isleworth Man Jailed for Life for Murder of Reece Newcombe

Ross Hamilton used broken glass to stab him after provoking a fight

Family still mourns 'beloved beautiful Reece'

October 15, 2024

A 34-year-old man from Isleworth who killed Reece Newcombe by stabbing him with a piece of broken glass has received a life sentence.

Ross Hamilton of Wood Lane had been unanimously found guilty of murder by a jury at the Old Bailey in September and last Friday (11 October) the judge stipulated that he must serve a minimum of 19 years minus time served.

Prior to the murder he was described as ‘spoiling for a fight’ outside the Viva night club in Richmond in the early hours of 30 November 2022.

An after party was taking place following the World Cup match between England and the USA. Hamilton was not in the club but had been agitated and behaving aggressively outside. He had already assaulted another person and had remained in the vicinity for around half an hour taunting security staff and those queueing for taxis. Reece, who was a boxing trainer, decided to intervene and a fight ensued between him and Hamilton in which he was stabbed in the neck with the glass Hamilton had hidden on his person. Hamilton left the scene in a vehicle.

Onlookers came to his aid and emergency CPR was administered by police officers who arrived before paramedics and an Air Ambulance. Reece was then taken to hospital but pronounced dead a few hours later.

An off-duty police officer followed Hamilton and was able to give a description of the car he was driven away in and the direction it went. Two days later, realising he was the subject of a major manhunt, Hamilton handed himself in at Acton police station.

Hamilton attended Acton police station two days later and handed himself in knowing that he was the subject of an extensive police manhunt.

Reece, from Egham in Surrey, was the grandson of iconic boxer Harry Holland, who opened his own boxing camp in Hogarth Youth Club in Chiswick in the 1970s. John Holland, Reece’s father, is the owner of the West Side Gym in Hounslow, and its sister club in Isleworth on the Ivybridge estate. Following a stabbing on the Ivybridge in 2016 John played a major part in developing the boxing gym on the estate.

Detective Inspector Kevin Martin of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command said after the sentence was announced, “Reece was simply out having a good night with friends. He was a much loved son, brother, partner and friend to many. He had recently become a father and had so much to look forward to.

“Hamilton was a stranger to him, yet his senseless violence took Reece’s life. It is clear that Hamilton was ‘spoiling for a fight’ that night, attempting to square up to a number of people in the run up to the murder. Choosing to hide a broken piece of glass is an indication of the level of pre-meditation in his actions. Striking Reece in the neck meant he stood no chance of defending himself and Hamilton would have known that aiming directly for that area was likely to have catastrophic consequences.”

“Today brings an end to the proceedings in the Reece Newcombe murder – but Reece's family will continue to be affected by their tragic loss for many years to come.

“His death was senseless and needless and while nothing can bring him back to those who loved him, I hope that knowing Hamilton is facing many years behind bars will bring them a measure of satisfaction. My thoughts are with them today.”

Ross Hamilton after being taken into custody. Picture: Met Police

A spokesperson for Reece Newcombe’s family said: “Nearly two years have passed since we lost our beautiful Reece.

“Reece in life was the shining light at the centre of our loving family. That light was brutally snubbed out by the murderous moronic actions of Ross Hamilton, a callous bully on 26 November 2022.

“Many serious incidents involving Hamilton were recorded on CCTV as he bullied his way throughout the night.

“This resulted in him arming himself with a lethal weapon moments before deliberately striking our beloved Reece in the neck with a broken bottle.

“This culminated in the death of a 31-year-old loving father of two baby girls in the early hours of that fateful dreadful morning.

“Reece was only able to enjoy being a father to his baby daughter for five months. His second daughter whom he would never get to see was born the following summer of 2023.

“The outpouring of grief after Reece’s passing was unprecedented, this showed the love people held for him. Four thousand people walked behind family members to lay wreaths at the spot where he was brutally murdered a week before.

“There is never a moment that goes by without us thinking of the beautiful soul that was our Reece.

“We, his family, are forced to navigate this cruel existence without him as we walk forward in life completely heartbroken.

“We are eternally grateful to the brave witnesses who came to court, to the police and the family liaison officers, also to the jury who weren’t intimidated or deceived by Hamilton as he lied his way through his testimony.

“The public, including the women he has previously attacked, will sleep better at night in the knowledge that he will no longer be at liberty to harm, maim or murder anybody else after his day of judgment .

“We will love you for eternity our beloved beautiful Reece.”