06/08/2026
WE apologise for the long read, but there is so much about the injustice we are feeling right now💔
Justice For Ryan Campaign
Nine Years Without Ryan - 6 August 2026
Today marks nine years since our beautiful Ryan was taken from us. On 6 August 2017, Ryan died after being fatally stabbed through the heart while enjoying a night out with his best friend at Chicago's nightclub in Stourbridge.
Nine years later, we continue to carry the unimaginable pain of losing Ryan every single day. Alongside our grief, we have also lived with the belief that the full truth about how Ryan died has never been properly confronted.
In February 2018, Kobe Murray, who changed his name to Kareem Gayle and admitted stabbing Ryan was acquitted after a jury heard a case built on self-defence. After the devastating verdict we never stopped believing that serious questions remained unanswered. For years, we campaigned for those questions to be fully examined. Eventually, an independent review was undertaken by West Yorkshire Police, and a new murder investigation was launched by West Midlands Police.
That process uncovered important information and new evidence that wasn’t available to the original trial. Evidence that strongly challenges the account given at trial by Kareem Gayle. For us, this new evidence matters enormously.
The jury was not deciding whether Ryan had been stabbed or by whom. What the jury had to decide was who they believed. They had to decide whether the defendant's account was truthful, whether his actions were instinctive, and whether the use of the knife genuinely arose in a sudden act of self-defence.
The new evidence in Ryan's case has now been accepted as genuine and reliable by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Yet we have still been told it is not enough to pursue an appeal against the acquittal.
We believe the DPP failed to acquaint himself with all the relevant information in our case before taking his decision and the DPP’s conclusion was unreasonable. That is why we have now begun costly legal proceedings in the High Court to challenge the lawfulness of the DPP’s Decision.
We are not asking for guarantees. We are not asking anyone to predetermine an outcome. We are asking for transparency, accountability, and the opportunity for the full truth now to be considered properly and openly by our courts.
Why We Continue to Fight for Justice For Ryan?
There remain serious questions about how the claim of self-defence was accepted. After years consisting of an independent review, a new investigation and a civil court ruling confirming that Ryan was unlawfully killed, there has been no evidence found to confirm Kobe Murray was indeed attacked by Ryan. He was simply able to state in his defence statement “He acted in self-defence”
• There are no independent witnesses from inside a busy nightclub containing hundreds of people at the time of Ryan’s stabbing who supported any allegation that Ryan attacked Kareem Gayle.
• A key witness who was not called to give evidence at the original trial has now made statements that directly challenges Kareem Gayle’s account he advanced to the Jury.
• Medical examinations whilst in custody found no injuries consistent with Kareem Gayle having been assaulted.
• Forensic examinations following Ryan’s death found no injuries to Ryan's hands or feet that would suggest he had even attacked anyone.
We are also troubled that during the criminal trial Kareem Gayle stated he could not identify the person who struck him immediately before he pushed out holding the knife, nor could he identify the person he came into contact with. Yet he had stated previously in his defence statement “He was punched by Ryan"
These are not minor issues for our family. They go directly to the accuracy of the narrative that has surrounded Ryan's death for nearly a decade. We have always maintained that Kobe Murray provided a bogus account at trial to procure his acquittal. If a defendant's lies prevented the truth from emerging at trial, we struggle to understand why that same defendant should be protected from having those issues examined when compelling new evidence later comes to light.
How can public confidence in the justice system be maintained when so many serious concerns have emerged after the verdict?
Public confidence depends not only on protecting against wrongful convictions, but also on ensuring that the justice system is capable of addressing potential wrongful acquittals when compelling new evidence come to light.
For nine years we simply have sought truthful answers, transparency, and accountability. We are still seeking them today. That is why we continue to fight for Ryan. Not because we refuse to accept the outcome, but because we believe the truth deserves to be fully examined and the public deserves confidence that when serious concerns arise, they are not simply ignored.
Our Final Family Message
Nine years ago today, Ryan lost his promising future. We lost our son. We lost birthdays, Christmases, family gatherings, milestones, memories and all the moments that should have been. Nothing can bring Ryan back.
But we believe the justice system has a responsibility to examine the full truth whenever significant new evidence emerges. The public must be able to trust that mistakes can be corrected and that accountability applies to everyone.
We are still fighting. Not out of anger. Not out of bitterness. But out of love for Ryan, and because we believe truth, fairness, and accountability matters.
We have recently been informed by West Midlands Police that further evidence has been submitted to the CPS for charging advice,
The decision to submit new evidence that meets the Full Code Test threshold to the CPS for pre-charge advice is another significant milestone in Ryan's case and a welcome step forward. It is an important development that gives renewed hope that justice may finally be within reach.
However, while we are encouraged that this new evidence has been put before the CPS, we are deeply concerned by the continued delay in reaching a decision. Two months have now passed since the evidence was submitted, yet the family are still waiting to hear whether charges will be authorised.
After nine years of delays and disappointments, our family had hoped that this stage of the process would be dealt with as a matter of urgency. Instead, we are once again feeling let down by the very system that is supposed to deliver justice.
Our campaign welcomes this significant progress, but we urge the CPS to make a timely decision so that we as a family are not left waiting any longer for the answers and accountability we deserve.
We will continue to fight for Ryan. We always will.💙💙💙💙💙
We’d appreciate any shares and thank you as always for your ongoing support of our “Justice For Ryan Campaign” xx
Justice For Ryan Campaign
6 August 2026
