Bodyguard to the stars hacked to death on his driveway trying to stop machete gang from stealing scooter

Ricky Hayden, circled, at the wedding of Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch
PA
Georgia Diebelius14 September 2016
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A celebrities' bodyguard was stabbed to death on his driveway as he tried to defend his home from a gang of machete-wielding thieves.

Ricky Hayden, 27, who had worked as a security guard for ITV’s This Morning and whose high-profile clients include Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy, lost his fight for life in hospital last night.

His father Paul Hayden, 54, raced to his son’s aid and attempted to shield him from a flurry of machete blows. He was in hospital today suffering from knife injuries.

The pair were woken by thieves attempting to drive off with a moped parked outside their home in Chadwell Heath, east London, at 1.25am yesterday and went to confront them.

A close friend told the Standard: “It’s heartbreaking. A family has been ripped apart for something so trivial.”

Victim: Ricky Hayden was stabbed to death on his driveway
Metropolitan Police

Scotland Yard’s homicide and major crimes unit have launched a murder inquiry and are looking for up to four men.

Two men, a 16-year-old and a 19-year-old, were arrested in the early hours of this morning on suspicion of murder and are being held at an east London police station.

Ricky, who had an older sister and younger brother, had worked with his father at ITV’s studios looking after stars including David Jason and Kerry Katona.

He worked at footballer Peter Crouch’s wedding to Ms Clancy in 2011 and was on call as a doorman at various nightclubs around east London.

A family member told the Standard it was a “very difficult and delicate time” for them.

Ricky Hayden's father Paul, 54, pictured here with actor David Jason, suffered life changing injuries trying to save his son

“We are a very close-knit family and you can imagine what we are all going through and how we are feeling,” he said. “We are trying to deal with this together.”

Last night, Ricky’s sister April, 23, posted heartbreaking pictures on Facebook kissing her brother in his final moments in hospital.

Paul Clarke, who works in ITV’s security team, said: “I’ve worked with Paul for many years and with Ricky since he started in the security industry.

“He was a pleasure to work with and very well respected by the This Morning team. He was also a good laugh and will be sadly missed by many people at ITV.”

Roy Knapp, a colleague, said: “Ricky was one of the greatest guys I had the pleasure of knowing and working with, my heart goes out to his family. I would like to say on behalf of myself and fellow doormen he will be missed but never forgotten.”

Ricky worked security at the wedding of Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch
Dave Benett

A family friend, Ron Martin, said: “It’s absolutely disgusting that this has happened because people decided to try and nick a moped.

“I’m completely heartbroken, I’ve known the family for five years and all I can say is I’m gutted for them.”

The moped the thieves were trying to steal is believed to belong to Ricky’s younger brother Perry, 20. They fled the scene leaving the vehicle behind.

Neighbours described being woken by screams in Gibbfield Close and the revving of engines in the early hours yesterday.

Emma Forbes said: “I could hear the moped screeching and people shouting. The son was lying on the floor and his dad was running up and down the road screaming for help.

“I heard that it was four guys trying to steal the family’s moped. Paul and Ricky heard it, jumped up and chased them.”

The 35-year-old added: “Ricky was a lovely boy, we all grew up together round here and he was one of the good ones. We are absolutely devastated. “His sister April had a baby who he adored and the family had just celebrated the child’s first birthday. It’s just such a tragedy.”

Daniel Cater, 28, said: “I came downstairs and opened the door and there were three lads trying to pick up a moped.

“I could hear someone shouting out ‘help him, help him’. Then that was it, he was lying on the floor, with blood everywhere.”

Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Packer of the Homicide and Major Crime Command said: “Gibbfield Close is a residential street and while there would not have been many people out and about at the time of this attack, it was a warm night and people would have had their windows open."

"I am appealing to anyone who heard, or subsequently saw, anything suspicious to come forward and speak to police.”

Anyone with any information should call the incident room on 020 8345 3865 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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