Friend of Murderer Set to Walk Free in Weeks
Richard Ray, 34, from Swanley, helped his mate Tony Curant flee after Curant brutally murdered his partner, Leila Young. Ray was jailed for 18 months on August 8 for perverting the course of justice but is due for release in just a few weeks, having already served nearly half his sentence on remand.
Gruesome Murder and the Escape
On January 16, Curant savagely stabbed Leila 57 times in their home on Penhill Road while their terrified kids hid nearby. Curant then called Ray, confessing, “I’ve just killed the missus.” Without hesitation, Ray drove Curant from Bexley to Dartford, where Curant hid out in a brothel for three days until police caught him.
Cover-Up and Callous Behaviour
- Ray hid Curant’s children’s mobile phones to stop them from calling for help.
- He even delivered drugs to Curant while on the run.
- Text messages revealed Ray mocked the tragedy with laughing emojis alongside a news article titled “Woman fighting for life after Bexley stabbing.”
Life Sentence for Killer, Jail for Accomplice
Curant was sentenced to life with a minimum of 20 years on August 2. Leila had planned to leave Curant, describing him as “the biggest bully she had ever met.” On the day of the murder, Curant called 999, telling them Leila was “basically dead.” Paramedics found her in a pool of blood. Despite her critical condition, she identified Curant as her attacker before dying a week later.
Ray claimed he didn’t initially think Curant had killed Leila, believing his friend was “off his f***ing nut.” But when driving past the crime scene, Curant admitted she was either “dead or paralysed.”
At his arrest, Ray said he considered flagging down police but chickened out and went to KFC instead. His lawyer argued their relationship was transactional, driven by drug use, and that Ray was scared of Curant, who had threatened him before.
Judge David Aaronberg KC told Ray there was plenty of evidence he knew Curant had seriously harmed Leila. The judge confirmed Ray will serve half of his sentence before release on licence, meaning he will be out in the next few weeks.
