Dover Man Jailed for Fatal Stairwell Attack
Ajay Porter, 36, has been handed a 16-year prison sentence for the deadly assault on Derek O’Hare in Dover. The former Oswald Road resident was found guilty of manslaughter after a three-week trial at Canterbury Crown Court. Porter will also serve an extra four years on licence.
Brutal Attack in Stairwell
The violent incident happened just after 10pm on December 11, 2023, inside a block of flats on Anstee Road. Kent Police rushed to the scene following reports of a disturbance. Emergency crews found O’Hare with multiple stab wounds and he was pronounced dead on the spot.
Evidence and Investigation Shut Down Porter’s Defence
- Porter and the victim knew each other, with hostile messages exchanged before the attack.
- Phone records prove the two spoke shortly before the assault.
- CCTV caught Porter leaving his home and moments later confronting O’Hare in the stairwell before fleeing.
- Forensic evidence linked Porter to the scene, including DNA on a stick used in the attack.
Detective Slams Porter as ‘Dangerous Man’
“This was an extremely violent attack outside Derek O’Hare’s home, leaving him with catastrophic and unsurvivable injuries. Porter is a dangerous man, who I am pleased we have taken off the streets of Dover,” said Detective Inspector Colin McKeen. “My thoughts and those of my team remain with Mr. O’Hare’s family. I hope the sentence now imposed offers them some comfort as they cope with their loss.”
The sentence marks a grim end to the tragic killing and underlines the police’s determination to keep dangerous offenders off the streets.
