A friend and accomplice of the UFC’s ‘scariest ever fighter’ Lee Murray now lives a totally different life, 19 years on from a £54m cash raid on a Securitas depot in Kent.
Murray, who was 30 at the time, was the “mastermind” behind the hit on the Securitas depot in Tonbridge, Kent, in 2006.
The former UFC fighter, who is revered by many, fled to Morocco, where he is a citizen through his father, four days after the incident.
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The Moroccan authorities deemed him to be Moroccan, meaning he could not be extradited to the UK – although they did collaborate with UK forces during prosecution, which led to an initial 10-year sentence that was increased to 25 years.
Depot manager Colin Dixon and his family were kidnapped at gunpoint by men posing as police officers to allow the gang to gain entry.
Five men – including Murray - were convicted of kidnap, robbery and firearms charges in 2008. Police later recovered £21m of missing cash but £32m is still unaccounted for.
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A cage fighter, named Paul Allen, who was said to be Murray’s best friend, was jailed for 18 years in October 2009 for his part in the robbery. Allen also fled to Morocco but was extradited back to the UK in 2009.
Now, 19 years on, Allen, 47, is living a completely different life having been released from prison in 2016.
On 11 July 2019, he was paralysed after being shot in the neck at his home in Woodford Green, east London.
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On the opening day of trial, prosecutor Michael Shaw said: "On July 11 2019, just after 11.09pm, gunshots were fired from a self-loading Glock 9mm handgun.
"The intention of the men who planned and carried out that shooting of Paul Allen on July 11 was to kill him.
"They very nearly succeeded. At least six bullets were fired at him from that Glock handgun, two of which struck him.
"One hit him in the centre of the throat and left him paralysed for life."
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In March 2025, as per BBC News, three men – Daniel Kelly and brothers Louis and Stewart Ahearne – were found guilty of conspiracy to murder following a five-week trial at the Old Bailey.
Prosecutors alleged the background to the shooting was that Allen was a "sophisticated" career criminal.
In April 2025, Louis Ahearne, 46, was sentenced to 33 years while his older brother Stewart, 46, was jailed for 30 years and Kelly, also 46, for 36 years plus an extra five years on licence.
"The underlying motive for the shooting remains unknown," Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC said.
Topics: UFC
Luke Alfred Davies