Bournemouth, Crime | Posted on February 5th, 2026 | return to news

Second trial finds Bournemouth man guilty of manslaughter

Thomas Betteridge’s first trial verdict was overturned, but he has now been convicted of manslaughter and awaits sentencing.

A Bournemouth man who, when he was a teenager, stabbed a man in the town centre has been found guilty following a second court trial.

Thomas Betteridge, now age 20, was found guilty of manslaughter and possessing a bladed article in a public place in relation to the fatal stabbing of Cameron Hamilton, who 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 then 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 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 was convicted of manslaughter for a second time on Wednesday 4 February 2026. He will return to court to be sentenced on Friday 8 May 2026.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Third, of MCIT, said: “I hope this conviction offers some comfort to Cameron’s family, who have continued to conduct themselves in a dignified and supportive manner throughout the further court process they have had to endure.

“Despite the unimaginable grief they will have experienced at losing their loved one at such a young age, they have continued to campaign to raise awareness of the tragic consequences of knife crime and made a real difference in the local community through their ‘Changes Are Made’ charity.

“We will continue to support them and work with all our partners to raise awareness of knife crime and take robust action against offenders.

“I also want to thank the Crown Prosecution Service and my investigation team, as well as all those others across the Force who have helped to secure this conviction.

“It is also important to acknowledge the efforts of officers who responded on the night, who were on the scene within moments of the fatal stabbing and were with Cameron in his final moments.”

Cameron’s family said they would like to thank all those from Dorset Police involved in the investigation and in supporting them, as well as prosecutor John Price KC and the Crown Prosecution Service team. They have asked that their privacy is respected at this time.