Dorset Police news site

Detectives have renewed their commitment to tackling knife crime and bringing offenders to justice after a man was jailed for a fatal stabbing in Bournemouth.

Thomas Betteridge, aged 20 and of Bournemouth, was found guilty of manslaughter and possessing a bladed article in a public place in relation to the fatal stabbing of Cameron Hamilton when he was aged just 18.

At around 1.25am on Saturday 5 August 2023 officers in the town were made aware of an altercation taking place in the area of The Square. It was subsequently reported that a man had sustained a suspected stab wound.

Despite the efforts of officers – who were on the scene within seconds of the fatal stabbing - and paramedics who subsequently attended, Cameron was very sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

Betteridge was located in the town centre on the night, where he was arrested and – following a detailed investigation by the Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT) – he was subsequently charged with murder.

He was previously convicted of manslaughter in March 2024, however the conviction was overturned following an appeal.

A retrial was held at Bournemouth Crown Court and Betteridge - a British national who defines himself as being of white British ethnicity  - was convicted of manslaughter for a second time on Wednesday 4 February 2026.

He returned to court on Friday 8 May 2026 and received a custodial sentence of eight years.

Detective Superintendent Neil Third, of MCIT, said: “Cameron’s family has had to endure the horrific ordeal of losing their loved one and the strength and dignity they have shown throughout the lengthy court process has been to their immense credit.

“Throughout this period our investigation team has also remained committed to diligently compiling evidence for the various court hearings and worked with the Crown Prosecution Service to build a case that has ultimately resulted in a conviction and sentence.

“It is important as well to further recognise the efforts of officers who responded on the night, those who were on the scene within moments of the fatal stabbing and were with Cameron in his final moments, as well as those who responded swiftly to locate and detain the defendant.

“Since Cameron’s tragic death, his family has campaigned tirelessly to raise awareness of the tragic consequences of knife crime through their Changes Are Made charity.

“We also remain steadfastly committed to doing all we can to raise awareness of the devastating impact of these offences and will do everything in our power to ensure those who commit knife related crimes are identified and face the consequences of their actions.”