Kris Kam death: Two jailed for 'cowardly' street stabbing
Two men have been jailed for killing a man who died after being punched to the floor and stabbed in a case of mistaken identity.
Christopher Carrington, 26, and Kevin Gracia, 26, were jailed at Preston Crown Court for the manslaughter of Kris Kam in Blackpool in October 2019. Shaquille Cumberbatch, 27, was also jailed for robbing another man with Carrington the previous day. Lancashire Police said Mr Kam was killed in "a cowardly attack." The force said he was targeted on the "wholly mistaken basis" that he was in some way connected to a rival group. Mr Kam was cycling on Queen Victoria Road when he was attacked on the morning of 26 October 2019. Several men got out of a black Volkswagen Golf and knocked Mr Kam off his bike before punching and kicking him on the ground and stabbing him in the leg before fleeing. Mr Kam suffered three stab wounds in his upper leg and died the next day in Blackpool Victoria Hospital. Carrington, of no fixed address, was jailed for 20 years on Tuesday. Gracia, of of Hilltop Avenue, London, was jailed for nine years and nine months while Cumberbatch, of Montrose Avenue, Edgware, received a sentence of seven years and six months. All three were convicted at an earlier hearing. Detectives investigating Mr Kam's death quickly linked the offence to an attack on an 18-year-old man who was punched to the ground and had his phone stolen on the previous day in Grasmere Road. While he lay defenceless on the floor a second man, Carrington, stabbed him in the leg. Det Ch Insp Lee Wilson welcomed the sentences and said the men came to Blackpool to commit violent offences to "intimidate people and establish a foothold dealing drugs in Blackpool". He said Mr Kam was targeted "on the wholly mistaken basis that he was in some way connected to a rival group. He was not". "They launched a cowardly group attack on Mr Kam who frankly stood little chance against the overwhelming force used against him," he added. "Not content with beating him they then saw fit to use a knife upon him resulting in his death." Munochismo Eriken, 27, of South Green, London was cleared at a previous hearing of murder. The case was dropped against Trai Fraser, 18, of no fixed address, who was initially charged with murder.