Kelvin Ward: Four jailed for for machete murder outside Chester Road KFC in Birmingham

Three teenagers and a man have been jailed for 82 years after a father was knifed to death with machetes and zombie knives in a street in Birmingham.

Kelvin Ward, 50, was ambushed as he left a KFC drive-thru on Chester Road in Castle Bromiwch with his 19-year-old son, who was the initial target of the gang on April 18, 2023.

Tyrone Hollywood, 17, Leighton Williams, 28, Rusharn Williams-Reid, 17, and Aaron Coates, 17, were in a stolen Ford Kuga just before 8pm. They spotted Mr Ward getting into a Vaxuhall Corsa driven by his son at the takeaway. Hollywood drove the Kuga into the KFC car park and rammed Mr Ward’s car.

Mr Ward’s son drove away with his father, but their car was repeatedly struck until its airbags were let off and it was forced to stop. Mr Ward’s son fled as the gang from the Kuga shouted: “Get him now, keep chasing. Kill him, everyone kill him.”

Shocking footage shows the masked thugs chasing Mr Ward across the street with huge blades. He was chased by Hollywood, along with Williams and Williams-Reid, but managed to escape with the help of a man on an e-bike.

Mr Ward jumped into the gang’s Kuga and drove in the direction which his son had run off in. He drove the vehicle at Hollywood, but missed and crashed into railings. Hollywood was handed a machete or zombie knife by Coates. Hollywood and Leighton Williams were then caught on CCTV stabbing Mr Ward. He suffered a fatal wound to the heart and Hollywood struck Mr Ward again as he lay dying in the road.

West Midlands Police launched a huge manhunt and identified the gang through witness statements, CCTV, clothing, DNA and fingerprint evidence, and mobile phone usage. Detectives revealed Mr Ward’s son had been friends with some of the attackers, but they had fallen out. Mr Ward’s family home had also been attacked just days before the killing.

At Coventry Crown Court last November, Hollywood was convicted of murder alongside Williams, of Birmingham. Coates, now 18, of Shard End, and Williams-Reid, also 18, were both cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter. All four were found guilty of conspiracy to murder Mr Ward’s son. Yesterday (Thursday, April 19) Williams was sentenced to life and ordered to serve at least 29 years.

• Williams was given a life sentence for murder and ordered to serve at least 29 years.
• Hollywood was sentenced to life and ordered to serve a minimum of 19 years.
• Coates was jailed for 21 years for manslaughter and conspiracy to murder.
• Williams-Reid was jailed for 13-and-a-half years for conspiracy to murder.

In an emotional tribute, Mr Ward's family called him a “loving partner, father, son, brother and friend to many”. Mr Ward's partner, Tammy, said: “Kelvin was the love of my life. He was a fantastic partner, father, son, brother and good friend to many. 

“He always put himself out for other people and if anyone needed a job doing or shoulder to cry on, he'd be there. He was very unique and there was never a dull moment when he was around. He was funny, the life and soul of a party, he worked hard to provide for his family, he had so much more to live for and loved life.

“We didn't even get to say goodbye instead we got to watch videos of his last moments which was horrific. To see the man I love stabbed by savage people then left to die like 'road kill' dumped on a road is disgraceful and no one should have to go through that.

“The measure of how good a man is, is by how many people turned up at his funeral. There was estimated to be 500 people and Kelvin had a special connection with each one who attended. The church was so full that people stood outside. Knife crime is a huge problem in the UK. We hear about it every day. The levels of violence are increasing and this is why we need longer sentences on those caught with knives or machetes.

“It's our news today and could be yours tomorrow. We need to send a message to the young people that life is not a computer game, but it appears that this is exactly what the younger generation are treating life as. It appears that they believe they have the authority to decide on someone's fate?”