Ashley Keegan Jailed for Brutal Cardigan Murder
Ashley Keegan, 22, has been sentenced to at least 20 years for the savage killing of 37-year-old John Bell in Cardigan on July 21. The tragedy unfolded after a day of heavy drinking outside Keegan’s home in Golwg y Castell.
Violent Outburst Spirals Out of Control
Keegan’s behaviour became increasingly erratic and abusive through the afternoon and evening. Trouble started when John Bell and his friend Daniel Saunders arrived at Keegan’s neighbour Amanda Simpson’s home. At around 11.40pm, Amanda took Daniel away in a taxi after Keegan’s aggressive outburst.
But the violence didn’t stop there. While the taxi pulled off, Amanda was shoved to the floor during an argument with Keegan. Then Keegan turned on John Bell, throwing multiple punches to his head.
Knife Attack Ends Life
Despite the brutal beating, Mr Bell didn’t fight back. He raised his hands to calm Keegan down, then tried to walk away. But Keegan wasn’t done. He stormed inside, grabbed a large kitchen knife, and chased Mr Bell down the hill.
Without warning, Keegan stabbed Mr Bell repeatedly from behind. Mr Bell never saw it coming—no defensive wounds were found. After the attack, Keegan discarded the knife and told his partner Chloe Phillips, “I’ve stabbed him.”
John Bell Dies at the Scene
Just before midnight, police were called after witnesses saw the attack and spotted Mr Bell bleeding on Cardigan Bridge. Officers found him critically injured near Fusion restaurant but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The post-mortem revealed Mr Bell suffered seven stab wounds to his back, causing fatal blood loss.
