Three men have been jailed for life and a fourth sentenced to 14 years after a brutal machete attack left a 44-year-old man dead in Middlesbrough. Anthony Dickons died nine days after suffering catastrophic injuries when he and a friend were ambushed by four armed men while sitting inside a parked car at Orme Court on 6 November 2025. Following a three-week trial at Teesside Crown Court in May, a jury found Morgan Caldwell, Dominic Hall and Kole James guilty of murder, while Daniel Simpson was convicted of manslaughter. All four were also convicted of causing grievous bodily harm to Anthony’s friend, who was trapped inside the vehicle during the attack.
Deliberate ambush
The court heard the four men waited in a Chevrolet before Anthony and his 44-year-old friend arrived in a Volkswagen Passat. As the Passat reversed into a parking space, it was deliberately rammed before the group, armed with machetes, knives and a pellet gun, surrounded the vehicle. Jurors were shown CCTV footage capturing the violent attack as the gang smashed the car’s windows before assaulting the occupants, who had no way of escaping. The court heard Dominic Hall repeatedly stabbed through the driver’s window while Kole James struck the windscreen. Morgan Caldwell thrust a machete through the passenger window, inflicting a devastating wound to Anthony’s leg, while Daniel Simpson stood alongside him during the assault. Anthony was taken to hospital but died nine days later from his injuries.
Life sentences imposed
The four men were sentenced at Teesside Crown Court on Monday 20 July. The sentences were:
- Morgan Caldwell, 26, of Cannock Road, Middlesbrough – Life imprisonment with a minimum term of 30 years for murder and grievous bodily harm.
- Dominic Hall, 24, of Greencroft Walk, Middlesbrough – Life imprisonment with a minimum term of 28 years for murder and grievous bodily harm.
- Kole James, 18, of Barrington Crescent, Middlesbrough – Life imprisonment with a minimum term of 26 years for murder and grievous bodily harm.
- Daniel Simpson, 32, of Coledale Road, Middlesbrough – 14 years’ imprisonment after being convicted of manslaughter and grievous bodily harm.
Family’s heartbreak
In a victim impact statement read to the court, Anthony’s family described the devastating impact of his death. They said:
“Sitting through the trial has been one of the hardest things we as a family have ever had to do.
“And now we live with the life sentence that has been inflicted upon us.
“Our hearts are broken; our lives will never be the same, and our home feels empty without Anthony who has been robbed of a life of love and laughter.”
“They stood little chance”
Temporary Detective Superintendent Deb Fenny, head of Cleveland Police’s Major Serious and Organised Crime Team and the senior investigating officer, described the attack as one of the most distressing cases her team had investigated. She said Anthony and his friend had been deliberately trapped inside the vehicle after it was rammed before the gang smashed the windows and launched the sustained attack. Det Supt Fenny said the two men had “little chance” of protecting themselves or escaping the violence. She added that one victim suffered serious and lasting injuries while the attack “tragically cost Anthony his life.” Paying tribute to everyone involved in bringing those responsible to justice, she thanked detectives, forensic specialists, paramedics, the Crown Prosecution Service and King’s Counsel for their work throughout the investigation. She said that while no sentence could ever undo the pain caused by Anthony’s murder, she hoped the outcome would provide his loved ones with “some measure of justice” and reassurance that those responsible had been held fully accountable.
