Three brothers jailed for the murder of a man
Thapelo Jali was stabbed repeatedly and died from his injuries
Three brothers from Normacot have been jailed for their roles in the killing of 21-year-old Thapelo Jali, who was fatally stabbed in July 2024.
Tayyab Hussain, 27, and Ezaan Hussain, 22, both pleaded guilty to murder during their trial at Loughborough Crown Court, on 7 and 9 July 2025 respectively. Their brother, Tuheed Hussain, 24, was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury on Monday, 4 August.
Sentencing took place shortly after the verdicts. Tayyab Hussain was sentenced to 21 years and 351 days in prison, while Ezaan Hussain received 20 years and 353 days. Tuheed Hussain, the eldest involved in the initial dispute, was sentenced to 11 years.
The court heard that tensions began with a confrontation between Thapelo Jali, from Stafford, and Tuheed Hussain. On 20 July 2024, a collision occurred involving a VW T-Roc — registered to Jali’s girlfriend — and a Honda Civic driven by Tuheed. The following day, Tuheed and Ezaan returned to damage the T-Roc, smashing its windows in a clear escalation of the dispute.
Later that evening, CCTV captured the final, fatal sequence of events. At 11:47 p.m. on 21 July, Thapelo was seen running into an alleyway between Hamilton Road and Buccleuch Road in Normacot. Just four seconds later, CCTV showed Tayyab and Ezaan exiting a vehicle driven by Tuheed and entering the same alleyway. Inside, they confronted Thapelo and repeatedly stabbed him.
The two brothers were seen fleeing the scene moments later and re-entering the car, still being driven by Tuheed.
Thapelo was discovered in the alley shortly after 12:30am on Sunday 22 July. Despite emergency services’ efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene just after 1:10am due to multiple stab wounds.
The case has shocked the local community and highlights the tragic consequences of escalating violence and retribution.
In a statement, Thapelo’s family said: “We love and miss Thapelo and his death has left an unmeasurable void in the lives of us who love him so dearly.
“When the officers came to tell us about Thapelo’s death, their words changed our lives forever. That morning, little did we know that our lives were now changed, beyond anything that we could ever imagine.
“The stark reality of Thapelo’s death was something that quickly absorbed our family, devastating us completely, as the days, weeks and months have passed.
“One young life was taken in the most tragic and cruel set of circumstances, yet many lives have been ruined through the ripples of devastation caused by these dreadful events.
“I hope that in some small way, my words help to discourage the epidemic of knife crime that has taken my son from his family at such a young age. I want for no other family to have to experience the level of pain that we have, and continue, to endure.”
Detective Superintendent Cheryl Hannan said: “Our thoughts remain with Thapelo’s family and friends.
“This was a brutal and calculated attack. This highlights the tragic consequences of carrying a knife and conflict between groups.”