Rugby pair found guilty of Jordon Banton murder

LIFE sentences have been handed to the murderers of Jordon Banton.

Darrell Akins (28) of Follager Road, Rugby, and Paul Michael Evan Dolan Clarke (35) of Bluebell Close, Rugby, had pleaded not guilty to Mr Banton’s murder in July last year.

But the jury at Warwick Crown Court was unanimous in finding both men guilty of murder.

Akins will serve 30 years before being considered for parole, and Clarke 25 years.

The court had heard that Jordon Banton, who was 23 at the time of the incident, died from a gun shot wound to the head at approximately 11.40am on Friday July 25 last year.

Paul Michael Evan Dolan Clarke aged 35, of Bluebell Close, Rugby and Darell Akins aged 28 of Follager Road, Rugby were charged with Jordon’s murder on July 30.

During the trial the jury heard that Mr Banton was sitting in his car which was stationary on Newton Road. The court heard that the two defendants drove to meet Mr Banton in a silver-blue Vauxhall Insignia to resolve a dispute between Mr Banton and Darrell Akins.

One of the occupants was seen to get out of the Insignia and fire two shots from a shotgun towards Mr Banton. The car was then seen to swerve across the road where it ended up in a ditch where a further shot was fired at Mr Banton’s vehicle at close range.

During the investigation police appealed for information from the public about those responsible for the shooting, including the whereabouts of the silver-blue Vauxhall Insignia. The police appeal was widely shared by media and the public and the vehicle was located two days after the murder.

Detective Chief Inspector Pete Hill, Senior Investigating Officer, said: “This was a difficult case from the very beginning of the investigation and the verdict is the result of painstaking detective work undertaken by a team of dedicated police officers who were determined to find those responsible.

“We have worked closely with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) during the investigation and as a result of the hard work and diligence of officers and the CPS, a just outcome has been achieved.

"I would like to like to thank everyone who shared our appeals, which were vital in assisting the police in this complex investigation. Gun crime is extremely rare in Warwickshire and this investigation shows that police will not tolerate it and will not rest until justice is delivered.”

Read more about the trial in this week's Rugby Observer, out on Thursday.

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