A 19-year-old has been handed a life sentence with a minimum of 14 years behind bars for killing a 63-year-old man in Ipswich.
Deadly Attack in Hawthorn Drive
Police were called just before 6pm on New Year’s Day 2025 to a home on Hawthorn Drive, where they found William “Billy” McNicholl dead inside. The 63-year-old Ipswich resident suffered fatal head injuries and a stab wound to the right shoulder.
Swift Arrest and Conviction
- A murder investigation was launched by Suffolk Constabulary’s Major Investigation Team.
- On 22 January 2025, a 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of murder and later released on bail.
- He was re-arrested in July after turning 18 and charged with murder and cannabis supply.
- 19-year-old Jake McMillan, from Peterhouse Close, Ipswich, was found guilty at Ipswich Crown Court on 6 February.
Life Behind Bars
On Thursday, 23 April, McMillan was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 14 years before parole, including time already spent in custody. He also received a seven-month concurrent sentence for cannabis supply.
