The 'repulsive' words gloating 16-year-old rapped after murdering man in cold blood

A 16-year-old murderer grinned as he sang a "despicable" mocking rap that glorified and gloated over his brutal killing of an unarmed victim.

Lorell Simpson from Huddersfield turned the gruesome murder into "vivid, scornful entertainment" with his "repulsive" and "distasteful" rap, Hull Crown Court was told.

The teenager ruthlessly knifed David Hunt, from Hull, in a vicious attack after he and an associate ambushed him in a property being used for County Lines drug operations. The pair were accused of having "lain in wait" for their prey.

Mr Hunt, 45, forcibly entered the house at night looking to buy drugs but receiving no response when he knocked on the door. He suffered nine horrific stab injuries and died on nearby grass outside. His life could not be saved despite desperate attempts by an off-duty doctor, reports Hull Live.

While Simpson delivered the deadly blows, another man, Dean Dawkins, stood with him, and they worked as a united "team".

Simpson's full name is Joel Lorell Simpson but goes by Lorell; this name was used throughout the legal proceedings. Following a judicial decision prompted by a request from Hull Live, reporting restrictions were lifted allowing Simpsons identity to be made public.

The restriction had prevented naming Simpson because of his age but the judge ruled that disclosing his name served the public interest.

Simpson has been handed a life sentence and must serve at least 14 years behind bars before being eligible for parole, although the 282 days he spent in remand will be subtracted, effectively reducing his minimum term to 13 years and 83 days.

As he was escorted from the secure dock to the cells, Simpson, clad in a blue jacket and black top, appeared to grin, smile, and gesture laughingly towards his supporters in the public gallery, which included his mother.

Dawkins, dressed in a white, long-sleeved shirt, black tie, and waistcoat, received a 13-year sentence in a young offenders' institution.

Both from Huddersfield, with Simpson from Alder Street and Dawkins in Cherry Nook Road, the pair pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Hunt on June 19 last year. While Simpson was found guilty of murder, Dawkins, 20, was acquitted of this charge but found guilty of manslaughter.

They both confessed to two counts of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

Mrs Justice Foster of the High Court chastised Simpson for exacerbating the severity of the murder by mocking Mr Hunt in a "triumphant" rap song post-killing, saying it turned the death into "vivid, scornful entertainment" and an "unrepentant glorification of your violence".

During the trial, Simpson was seen "mocking him with laughter" while rapping, which made it challenging to take his alleged expressions of remorse in a pre-sentence report seriously. Mrs Justice Foster noted that Simpson had displayed a "worrying readiness to resort to violence" during the attack and that "your ferocity was informed by anger".

She stated: "You will only be released when the Parole Board says it's safe to do so. You will be about 30 years old before they look at your case."

The judge described the murder as "yet another senseless drug death" that had "left real human tragedy" leading to "dashed hopes and loss".

Mrs Justice Foster permitted Simpson to be named publicly, stating to the court: "This is an appropriate case where the restriction ought to be lifted." She believed that the crime was of such gravity that lifting restrictions was warranted.

Speaking of Dawkins, she said: "You were there as a minder to Lorell."

Richard Wright KC, who was mitigating, described the comments made by Simpson after Mr Hunt's murder as "obviously despicable" in nature. "They are obviously distasteful and distressing," he added, suggesting that they indicated Simpson was "lacking remorse and trivialising what he had done" at the time.

The murder was not premeditated and Mr Hunt's entry into the property was uninvited. Simpson found himself embroiled in drug dealing before becoming involved in the murder.

Mr Wright described Simpson as a young man displaying typical immaturity for his age. He was part of a culture that was "alien to right-thinking people", yet there were two contrasting sides to him.

Simpson was a young man with real promise and potential, according to Mr Wright. He believed that if Simpson had been provided with more security during his youth and shielded from gang culture, he wouldn't have fallen prey to those exploiting him in the drug trade.

His potential was entirely derailed by his involvement in drug dealing and the subsequent murder. Now, instead of discussing his positive traits, people refer to him as a murderer and drug trafficker, lamented Mr Wright. Simpson had no prior convictions.

Alistair MacDonald KC, defending Dawkins, stated his client demonstrated immaturity and failed to grasp the seriousness of his offences. Dawkins maintained that his drug dealing activities in Hull were confined to the day of Mr Hunt's death and that he had never visited the city before.

The individual had prior convictions for two offences, namely possession of a knife and cannabis, committed in December 2021 when he was 17 years old. Dawkins had previously pursued studies in business and law with intentions to attend university.

He had been studying at a college in Manchester to distance himself from violence in Huddersfield. Having spent 282 days in custody, he utilised his time productively by engaging in catering, acquiring qualifications, repairing electrical items such as kettles, and cleaning and fixing bicycles.

Charlie Murray, a 35-year-old woman from Galpins Road, Thornton Heath, in the Croydon area of London, was also part of the gang. Despite denying two charges of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine, as well as aiding an offender, she was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Elon Williams, 31, of Rosemead Street, Hull, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine and received a nine-year prison sentence.

Barry Leiper, 48, of Arundel Close, Hull, admitted to perverting the course of justice by removing a blood-stained knife, wrapped in a towel, from the house and concealing it in a fence hidden by bushes. He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison.

Jamie Hill KC, the prosecutor, stated that Simpson, Dawkins and Murray were involved in a County Lines drug dealing operation in Hull, which was managed and supplied from London. Murray, based in Croydon, was among the leaders, with Dawkins and Simpson acting as dealers under her command, distributing heroin and crack cocaine from various Hull residences.

The Saskia Line was run by Murray, who lived in Hull between 2017 and 2023, and her partner Williams, who had made at least one drug-related journey from London to Hull. On June 19 of the previous year, they were allowed to use a property in Arundel Close, Hull, for drug dealing in exchange for complimentary heroin.

Simpson served as the primary liaison between London and Hull, due to his mother residing in Hull. Dawkins and Simpson established their operation at the Arundel Close house on June 19. Mass drug messages were dispatched, and both were captured on CCTV dealing drugs.

Mr Hunt visited the house to purchase drugs on the same day. He had previously been in phone contact with Williams in May of the previous year and was believed to be familiar with the Saskia Line, according to Mr Hill.

Mr Hunt entered the property by climbing onto a wheelie bin and then a flat roof. Upon entry, he was faced with Simpson and Dawkins. According to testimony, Mr Hunt's last words were: "Whoa, lads. I'm not doing anything."

Mr Hill, presenting the case, detailed the harrowing scene: "Blood spatter and stains show that he was repeatedly stabbed on the upstairs landing as he tried to battle his way out of the property. There were smears of blood down the wall of the staircase as he tried to get out."

The attack was over within moments as Mr Hunt, lethally attacked, stumbled back out the front door, as seen in chilling CCTV footage: "Thirty seconds after entering, he staggered backwards out of the front door, mortally wounded. CCTV shows him stagger and collapse on a grassy area in front of the property."

He had suffered nine stabbing injuries, including fatal ones to the left side of his neck with three deep slashes. Such severe trauma was inflicted that one cut exited from the opposite side. The onslaught did not stop there; Mr Hunt's right jugular vein was pierced twice, leading to "catastrophic" blood loss.

He also endured stabs to the face, which damaged his left cheekbone, stomach, right upper chest, both arms, and the back of his neck, the prosecution described. It was put forth by the prosecution that Simpson actively stabbed Mr Hunt but asserted that both Simpson and Dawkins ambushed him together, implying a joint effort in the crime.

The pair subsequently escaped from the house via the back door, taking their drugs and money with them. They retreated to a flat in Newtown Court, where they had been residing.

Mr Hunt was seen exiting the house with a hammer in his hand, which he hadn't brought with him to the property. He picked it up from the upstairs landing while under attack, according to Mr Hill.

Murray arranged for a taxi to transport Simpson and Dawkins to Huddersfield, initiating an attempted cover-up. It was alleged that Mr Hunt's blood was found on the blade, along with a DNA match to Dawkins.

Murray instructed another woman to destroy a phone left behind by Simpson and to dispose of a SIM card. She also told her to get rid of a coat.

A neighbour dialled 999, prompting the arrival of police and paramedics. A nearby consultant was summoned and attempted an emergency operation at the scene to revive Mr Hunt's heart. The victim was transported to Hull Royal Infirmary, but he was pronounced dead at 11.08pm.

Dawkins was apprehended at his Cherry Nook Road residence in Huddersfield in the early hours of June 21. Simpson turned himself in at Clough Road police station in Hull on June 23.

Drug dealing on the Saskia Line persisted until July 9 when police raided Murray's Croydon home. A substantial quantity of crack cocaine was discovered in the house, ready to be converted into deals.

Individual wraps of heroin and crack cocaine, as well as £2,310 in cash, were also found.

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