Westley Odger
1978 – 2005
Colchester, Essex
Perpetrators
Westley Odger was a 27-year-old man from Colchester whose life was tragically taken on 12 September 2005.
He is remembered by his family as a much-loved son whose loss devastated those closest to him.
His death had a profound impact on his family and community and led to long-standing campaigning against knife crime by his mother, Ann Oakes-Odger.
He was attacked at a cash machine in Greenstead, Colchester, after a confrontation involving a queue. Witnesses and CCTV evidence showed that after an earlier dispute, a man returned with his brother and Westley was suddenly stabbed in the neck without warning. He died from his injuries despite efforts to save him.
His killers, Andrew Fredericks, who was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years and Mark Fredericks, who was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 7 years in prison.
Rest in peace Westley. You will not be forgotten.