ANXIANG DU BRUTAL MURDERS IN NORTHAMPTON: FAMILY OF FOUR VICTIMS IN HORRIFIC ATTACK

In April 2011, a devastating and brutal crime unfolded within the quiet town of Northampton, leaving a family of four dead and the community in shock. The perpetrator, Anxiang Du, traveled from Coventry to Northampton with a clear intent to commit a violent act that would forever alter the lives of those involved.

Du’s attack was motivated by a personal grievance related to a legal dispute. According to court proceedings, he had recently lost a legal case against the Ding family and was facing a substantial bill of £88,000. This financial and emotional strain appeared to have fueled his violent outburst, culminating in a savage assault on the family’s home.

On the day of the attack, which coincided with the royal wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Du arrived in Northampton by train and bus. His target was Jifeng “Jeff” Ding, a lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, along with his wife Ge “Helen” Chui, and their two daughters, Xing and Alice. Du’s actions were described by the presiding judge, Mr. Justice Flaux, as “savage butchery,” highlighting the ruthless efficiency with which he carried out the murders.

Du demanded money from Mr. Ding during the assault. When his demand was refused, he responded with extreme violence, stabbing Mr. Ding 23 times and Mrs. Ding 13 times. The judge noted that Du had “executed” the couple, indicating the cold and calculated nature of the killings. After murdering the parents, Du ascended to a bedroom upstairs where the two young daughters, Xing and Alice, were hiding in terror.

Xing, an aspiring medical student who had already secured a place at university, suffered 11 stab wounds, while her younger sister Alice was stabbed four times. During the murders, a 999 emergency call was made from a mobile phone, capturing the terrified screams of the girls as they tried to seek help. The jury was shown this distressing recording during the trial.

Mr. Justice Flaux described the scene: “Not content with the slaughter of the parents downstairs, you then went upstairs to the back bedroom where the two young Ding girls were cowering. It is apparent from the fact that Nancy’s mobile made the 999 call, that they had heard what was happening downstairs and she was frantically trying to ring the police for help. At that moment, it seems you came into the room and within a short period of time, you had also murdered those poor defenseless girls.”

Following the murders, Du did not immediately flee the scene. Instead, he laid down and slept in the house before waking up and stealing the family’s car. His subsequent actions included attempting to locate another business partner, but he was unsuccessful in finding him. Fortunately, the intended target was either not at home or Du was unable to locate him, which prevented further violence.

The bodies of the Ding family were not discovered until two days after the murders. Du managed to escape the UK and was eventually apprehended in Morocco fourteen months later. During his trial, Du admitted to the killings but argued that he should be convicted of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility or loss of control.

In sentencing, Mr. Justice Flaux explained that he chose not to impose a whole life order, citing a European Court of Human Rights ruling that such sentences breach human rights. He emphasized that whole life orders are reserved for “the few exceptionally serious offences” where the element of just punishment and retribution necessitates such a sentence. The judge clarified that this is not an automatic or mandatory penalty, but one reserved for the most heinous crimes.