In the St Ann's neighbourhood of Nottingham, the death of a young man on a Monday afternoon has set the machinery of justice in motion with uncommon speed. Marley Gascoine, twenty years old, was fatally stabbed on Abbotsford Drive on November 10th — a single wound that ended a life before it had fully begun. Four days later, Matthew Smith, also twenty, stood before magistrates and was remanded to await Crown Court, while a mother's grief gave the legal proceedings their true and human weight.
Man charged with murder after fatal stabbing in Nottingham
Marley Gascoine, 20, was fatally stabbed in the chest; his mother expressed devastating grief over the loss of her firstborn son.
there will forever be a piece of my heart missing
Mark
So this happened on a Monday afternoon—what was the timeline from the stabbing to the charge?
Mimi
Gascoine was found with stab wounds on November 10 around 12:50 in the afternoon. He died shortly after despite paramedics' efforts. Smith was charged four days later, on Friday, and appeared in court the next morning.
Luke
That's fast. Do we know if Smith was arrested immediately, or was there a gap between the incident and his arrest?
Mimi
The source doesn't specify when Smith was arrested, only that he was charged on Friday and appeared in court Saturday morning.
Mark
There was another person arrested too, wasn't there?
Mimi
Yes—another 20-year-old was arrested on suspicion of murder but was released on bail. Only Smith was charged.
Luke
So we don't know why that second person was released. Could be insufficient evidence, could be he was cleared, could be something else entirely.
Mimi
Right. The reporting doesn't explain the reasoning behind his release.
Mark
What did Gascoine's family say?
Mimi
His mother released a statement. She called him her firstborn, described him as a fantastic son and big brother. She talked about the indescribable pain and the permanent piece of her heart that's missing.
Luke
That's a direct quote from her statement, or paraphrased?
Mimi
The statement is quoted directly in the source. Those are her words.
Mark
What happens next?
Mimi
Smith goes to Crown Court on November 18. Police are still investigating and asking for information from the community.
O Pulso
- A young man bled to death on a residential street in broad daylight, a single stab wound to the chest cutting short a life of twenty years.
- The speed of the police response — an arrest, a charge, and a court appearance within four days — signals the pressure on authorities to reassure a shaken community in St Ann's.
- A second 20-year-old arrested in the immediate aftermath was released on bail, leaving questions about the full picture of events still open as the investigation continues.
- Matthew Smith now sits in custody awaiting Crown Court on November 18th, the formal machinery of justice grinding forward while his family and Gascoine's live inside the same suspended grief.
- Marley's mother has spoken — not in legal terms, but in the language of a parent who has outlived her firstborn — and her words remind the public that behind every charge sheet is an irreplaceable human absence.
In the St Ann's neighbourhood of Nottingham, the death of a young man on a Monday afternoon has set the machinery of justice in motion with uncommon speed. Marley Gascoine, twenty years old, was fatally stabbed on Abbotsford Drive on November 10th — a single wound that ended a life before it had fully begun. Four days later, Matthew Smith, also twenty, stood before magistrates and was remanded to await Crown Court, while a mother's grief gave the legal proceedings their true and human weight.
On a Monday afternoon in November, police were called to Abbotsford Drive in St Ann's, Nottingham, where they found Marley Gascoine, 20, with a stab wound to the chest. Paramedics could not save him. A post mortem confirmed what was already apparent: a single blow had killed him.
Four days later, Matthew Smith — also 20, from Carlton — was charged with murder. His appearance at Nottingham Magistrates' Court was brief and procedural: name confirmed, custody ordered, Crown Court date set for November 18th. A second man arrested on suspicion of murder in the immediate aftermath had already been released on bail, leaving Smith as the sole person charged.
Detective Chief Inspector Ruby Burrow expressed hope that the swift response would offer some comfort to the St Ann's community, framing the speed of the arrest and charge as a signal of the police's commitment to the neighbourhood.
But it was Gascoine's mother who gave the case its full human dimension. In a statement, she described her son as her firstborn — a beloved son, brother, grandson, and nephew — and wrote of a pain that defies language, of a piece of her heart that would be missing forever. She closed with a prayer, asking that her son be held in peace until they could meet again.
The case now moves to Crown Court. Police continue to investigate and are asking anyone with information to contact them.
On a Monday afternoon in November, police arrived at Abbotsford Drive in St Ann's, Nottingham, to find a 20-year-old man bleeding from stab wounds. Marley Gascoine was rushed to paramedics, but they could not save him. A post mortem would later confirm what the wound itself had already made clear: a single stab to the chest had killed him.
Four days after Gascoine's death, Matthew Smith, also 20 and from Carlton, was charged with his murder. On Saturday morning, Smith appeared before three magistrates at Nottingham Magistrates' Court. He was dressed in grey sweatshirt and jogging bottoms. The hearing was brief. Smith confirmed his name, address, and date of birth. The prosecutor Emma Price and defence counsel Arjun Madahar were present. There was little else to do. Smith was told he would be held in custody and brought before Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday, November 18.
The investigation had moved quickly. Police had arrested another 20-year-old man on suspicion of murder in the immediate aftermath, but he was later released on bail. Smith remained the only person charged. Detective Chief Inspector Ruby Burrow, leading the case, said the arrest and charge reflected the police response to the community. "I hope the wider community in St Ann's are comforted by our response," she said, "which has seen this suspect arrested, charged and placed before the courts."
Gascoine's family was informed of the charge. His mother released a statement that moved beyond the mechanics of the case into the weight of what had been lost. She described her son as her firstborn, a fantastic son and big brother, grandson and nephew. She wrote of the indescribable pain, of the permanent absence that comes when a child dies before a parent. "As a mum, there will forever be a piece of my heart missing," she said. She ended with a prayer, asking God to give her son peace and to wrap him in loving arms until they met again.
The case now moves to Crown Court. Police continue to investigate and have asked anyone with information to call 101, quoting incident number 292 of November 10, 2025, or to contact Crimestoppers anonymously.
Citações Notáveis
Marley is my first born, and will always hold a special place in my heart. A fantastic son and big brother, grandson and nephew, we will all miss you tremendously.— Marley Gascoine's mother
I hope the wider community in St Ann's are comforted by our response which has seen this suspect arrested, charged and placed before the courts.— Detective Chief Inspector Ruby Burrow
Quer a matéria completa?
Leia o original em The Mirror ↗
Crime & Justice