Ralph's killers convicted of manslaughter

Monday 24th of May 2010

The three teenagers accused of murdering Big Issue vendor Ralph Millward have been convicted of manslaughter.

Jimmy Ayres, 15, Warren Crago, 17, and Craig Real, 17, attacked Ralph, 41, during a cider-fuelled rampage, leaving him with horrific injuries. Ralph died in the street near his pitch in Westbourne in Bournemouth. The trio attacked him after he refused to hand over his tobacco, and left him with 10 broken ribs, a ruptured spleen and bleeding on the brain.

Crago, Real and Ayres, who was 14 at the time, were convicted at Winchester Crown
Court on Friday. Ayres broke down in tears at the verdict. Despite their ages, they can be named after Judge Guy Boney lifted an anonymity order over the “appalling” attack.

The boys, members of a notorious Poole gang, were cleared of murder, claiming they only wanted to “rough up” the vendor. They will be sentenced next month.

Ralph's death, on May 8, 2009, led to a local outpouring of grief,  with more than 500 people attending his memorial service in Westbourne town centre.