Draven Jewell, killer of Pennington dad Max Maguire, given 20-year sentence

THE killer of Pennington dad Max Maguire has been given a 20-year sentence.

Draven Jewell (22) of Flushards in Lymington, stabbed to death fisherman Max in an alleyway near Lymington's Royal British Legion in October 2021.

He was accused of murdering the 23-year-old but a jury found him guilty of manslaughter, as well as grievous bodily harm charges against Max's friends Luke Gray and Georgia Hole.

Jewell was sentenced today (Monday) at Winchester Crown Court where a heartbreaking impact statement from Max’s partner Tamara Douglas was read out revealing the couple's young daughter told her mother: “I want to be an angel to be with daddy”.

The four-year-old "screams for her dad”, Ms Douglas said in the statement, which was read on her behalf, adding that Max’s killing had “ripped our world apart”.

She said: "It is heartbreaking to hear her say she wants to be an angel to be with daddy. I tell her she was daddy’s angel and now he is hers.”

Max suffered “catastrophic” injuries and bled to death within minutes. His friend Luke Gray was also stabbed and seriously hurt. Ms Hole received a chest injury.

Ms Douglas statement continued: “All the moments Max cherished with his daughter are gone. He kissed her goodnight that night.

"She was so proud of her big strong daddy. Now she will have to suffer through years of grief.

“She was a daddy’s girl who has to live without her daddy because of [Jewell's] cowardly actions.”

In his victim impact, Luke revealed he tried to commit suicide last year, saying: “I wish I had gone with Max that night."

He said he is rarely able to leave home “without looking over my shoulder terrified of what might happen to me”.

Luke said he also suffers “flashbacks and nightmares” and a recurring dream in which he is at Max’s home “and he jumps out on me and says 'I’m still here'."

Luke, who was stabbed twice in the back, has had to have a permanent stent put in one kidney, is unable to work and is in “constant” pain.

Prosecutor Jonathan Underhill told the court how the attack on the trio happened after an altercation in the club. He said as Jewell entered the club with his two brothers, a knife with a 14cm blade fell out of his clothing onto the floor.

The defendant had a nitrous oxide cylinder on him which Max allegedly wanted, and the two men argued over it.

Later CCTV picked up Max, Luke and Georgia leaving the club, and Max was heard to say: “I don’t want any trouble Luke."

In his defence, Jewell claimed that as he walked through the alleyway Luke attacked his younger brother Garon. He claimed he stabbed the three victims to save Garon.

Today the court heard Jewell was autistic, which had "impacted" on his actions that night. But sentencing Jewell, Mrs Justice Cutts told him: "You had no reason to be carrying such a large and lethal weapon.

"If you not had it, Mr Maguire would still be alive."

She said he had told doctors he owned many knives and "liked" them, adding: "It is a shortcut from carrying it (a knife) to using it."

Speaking about Max, she said: "He was a devoted father; if his daughter fell, he caught her. She must now grow up without her father, without his love and support."

Jewell was sentenced to 16 years for the manslaughter of Max Maguire, with extended licence of four years.

He was also sentenced to eight years for the attack on Luke and 18 months for wounding Georgia. He received 12 months for possessing a weapon. All the sentences will run concurrently.

He will serve his sentence in a secure mental health unit. If doctors judge him to be well enough at any point he will be returned to prison.

His brother, 19-year-old Garon, was cleared halfway through the trial after the judge directed the jury to find him not guilty of murder and an alternative manslaughter charge, as well as wounding Luke and grievous bodily harm against Georgia.

After the sentence, Detective Chief Inspector Rod Kenny, who led the investigation, said: “Firstly, I would like to say that our thoughts remain with Max’s family, his friends and the two other people injured in this terrible tragedy.

“No sentence can ever bring Max back. Had Draven Jewell not armed himself with a knife that night then Max’s life would not have been ended prematurely and his family and loved ones would not have to suffer the immeasurable pain his death has caused. It is a stark reminder that knives destroy lives.

“Reducing knife crime remains one of our top force priorities, and we will use all the powers at our disposal, from engagement and education to enforcement, to make our communities safer.”