Ambush killer guilty of murdering Richard Hopley in drug deal attack in Harborne

A man has been found guilty of murdering a drug dealer's driver by stabbing him in the chest during an ambush attack. Mohammed Qasim delivered the deadly blow to Richard Hopley who was behind the wheel of a silver Volkswagen Passat in Underwood Close, Harborne around 3pm on September 22, 2022.

The 43-year-old victim managed to drive a short distance away to Metchley Lane where he collapsed at the wheel and crashed into a Mercedes. He was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital nearby but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Qasim fled to Pakistan after the attack but returned to the country a year later and was arrested. Following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court a jury found the 24-year-old, from St Saviour's Road in Saltley, guilty of conspiracy to rob and murder on Monday (April 22).

READ MORE: 'Obnoxious' man threatened to kill judge who jailed him for neighbour rows

Get the latest court and crime news direct via our WhatsApp community here

He will be sentenced on Friday (April 26). Qasim is the third man to be convicted in relation to Mr Hopley's death after Nicholas Stallard, in his 40s, and Paul Hayles, in his 60s, were jailed for manslaughter last year.

The victim had been acting as a driver for another man who was selling drugs in the Birmingham area, including Winson Green, Selly Oak and Harborne. Qasim, Stallard and Hayles were part of a group who planned an ambush attack.

They waited in an Audi as they summoned Mr Hopley to Underwood Close near a newsagents called Bobby's. Prosecutor Richard Barraclough KC said: "When the Passat arrived one of the males, Mohammed Qasim, emerged from the alleyway and got into the passenger seat of the vehicle. He is the one, says the Crown, who did the stabbing of Mr Hopley after he got into the car next to Mr Hopley.

Fake £20 led to killing of 'miracle' son in Harborne drug dealer battle

"Mr Qasim escaped to Pakistan after the murder of Richard Hopley then returned on September 15 last year and was arrested. Within seconds of Mr Qasim getting into the car two more of the others, by this time masked, ran to the driver's side of the car. The first to arrive was Nicholas Stallard. He tried to get to the driver Mr Hopley.

"He was partially run over by the front wheel of the car. Mr Hopley tried to drive the car away. Paul Hayles arrived and he and Nicholas Stallard tried to attack the car. Paul Hayles struck a window. Mr Hopley began to drive away. The three of them ran back towards the newsagents and up the alleyway."

Witnesses saw the drug dealer Mr Hopley had been driving around run from the back seat of the car while wearing white clothing. A fourth man believed to be involved in the attack, who had been 'keeping watch' outside the shop, also fled to Pakistan but has not returned.