Four men jailed for roles in killing of Denva Smith in Exmouth
Denva was stabbed in the arm on the 31st of May last year (2025) following a dispute with his former friends over drugs
Four men have been jailed for their involvement in the killing of 24-year-old Denva Smith in Exmouth last year.
Denva Smith died after sufferring a single stab wound to his left arm on 31st May 2025.
Police responded at around 00.50am to a report of a stabbing in Ashfield Close, where Denva had collapsed after running into a garden in Ashfield Close.
A local resident heard Denva shouting about being stabbed and expressing that he was going to die.
Officers provided first aid, including a tourniquet, but despite their efforts and those of paramedics, Denva was pronounced dead less than an hour later.
Five defendants were convicted for their roles in the case earlier this year (2026) at Exeter Crown Court.
Tom Ward, 25, from Russell Walk, Exeter, and Ben Mason, 24, were found guilty of murder.
Mason also faced additional charges related to a separate assault in 2023.
Dylan Chadwick, 24, and Zac Davies, 24, were both found guilty of manslaughter, with Davies also pleading guilty to not providing PIN access to his phone.
Ben Helliker, 27, was also convicted of manslaughter.
Sentencing
At Exeter Crown Court today (June 10) Ward and Mason received life sentences for Denva's murder, with Ward sentenced to a minimum of 23 years and Mason to 23 years and six months.
Mason also received a concurrent sentence for the previous assault on another victim.
Davies and Chadwick were each sentenced to 12 years for manslaughter, with Davies receiving an additional year for the phone offence.
Helliker will be sentenced at Exeter Crown Court on 25 July.
During sentencing, The Honourable Mr Justice Garnham noted the profound impact the murder has had on Denva’s family, describing the killing as “senseless.”
The night of the attack
The events unfolded on 31st May, when Denva and a companion were approached by a group of five men on Dinham Way.
Denva attempted to escape but was pursued by the group to the garages at Hawthorn Grove, where Ward delivered the fatal stab wound.
During the attack, Denva lost a pair of sliders which were later located in a bin outside Ward’s home address.
Also recovered at the scene of the attack was a phone belonging to Helliker.
The court heard how after sustaining the fatal stab wound, Denva was chased shoeless onto Hawthorn Grove and then into the rear garden of a property on Ashfield Close where Denva did not regain consciousness and was pronounced dead by emergency services at 1:40am .
Evidence collected during the investigation included CCTV footage and statements from witnesses who said that they had heard banging and shouting and saw two men run from the direction of Ashfield Close back towards Hawthorn Grove.
Officers discovered that there was ill-feeling among Denva and the defendants, stemming from issues related to drug supply.
Earlier in the evening, Davies and Chadwick arrived in Exmouth having travelled from Liverpool together.
They met up with Ward, Mason and Helliker around half an hour before the attack.
Text messages revealed that both Ward and Davies sent messages to a third party saying “it’s really bad” and “we f*cked up”.
Eyewitnesses named Davies as being present close to the scene.
Davies was soon located at an address on Hawthorn Grove in the company of Chadwick and both men were arrested. The trainers of the two were found to have Denva’s blood on them.
Blood was also found trailing between Hawthorn Grove and Ashfield Close.
Following the attack Mason took a taxi to his girlfriend’s address in Cranbrook.
Mason attended a meeting with The Probation Service the following morning and was noted by a probation officer to be acting on edge and making reference to someone being “stabbed up” in Exmouth being in the news.
Mason was arrested at the probation office in Exeter later the same day.
Ward – who was named by a third party as the man who stabbed Denva - would hand himself in at Tiverton Police Station in the early hours of 3 June.
Helliker was arrested on 9 June after being identified via CCTV and a phone linked to him being found at the scene.
Further investigation revealed more ill-feeling and background between the defendants and Denva, some of which was closely related to the supply of cocaine and cannabis in Exmouth.
What have police said ?
Detective Inspector Guy Biggar from the Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “Denva Smith died in a stranger’s garden after sustaining a single stab wound to the arm in May of last year.
“Prior to losing consciousness, Denva ran for his life after being confronted and attacked by the group containing the five defendants.
“By the jury’s verdicts, Tom Ward and Ben Mason fully intended to cause Denva at least serious harm when they attacked him that night, with Zac Davies, Dylan Chadwick and Ben Helliker all also present with the intent to cause him harm.
“No amount of ill-feeling between Denva and those convicted can justify the taking of a young life in such a violent and brutal manner.
“Denva was a much-loved son, dad, brother, grandson, uncle and nephew. During the fatal attack he was isolated, alone and outnumbered.
“This was a dynamic and fast-paced investigation which resulted in the defendants being identified and arrested.
“We welcome the sentences passed by the judge and we hope that Denva’s family and friends are able to feel some form of closure as they attempt to move on with their lives.”