Ryan James Sampson, 33, extradited to face charge of murdering James Callahan at Hamilton
A man who allegedly plunged a knife into a man on a suburban Newcastle street after an argument over a discarded kebab has finally been extradited from Queensland to face a murder charge almost four months after the death.
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A man who detectives allege stabbed popular Newcastle man James Callahan during a street attack over a discarded kebab has been quietly extradited into NSW to face a murder charge.
Ryan James Sampson, 33, formally faced the murder charge in Tweed Heads Local Court on Tuesday – almost four months after he is alleged to have stabbed Mr Callahan on the popular entertainment strip of Beaumont St at Hamilton on November 17.
It had been a patient wait for Strike Force Mannum detectives after they had already charged six people following the alleged brutal slaying, which was caught on camera and prompted a huge outpouring of grief within sections of the community.
Sampson is alleged to have fled the state after the murder and was arrested in the Queensland town of Yeppoon on November 24.
He was held for several weeks as authorities attempted to work around the forecast of Cyclone Alfred and the logistics in having the former Sydney man extradited.
Sampson formally faced extradition proceedings in Queensland on Monday, which were granted before he was taken over the border and formally charged with Mr Callahan’s murder.
Police will allege Sampson was nearby when an argument began when a woman was criticised for throwing part of a kebab onto the ground and adjacent to a bin.
The argument over the littering allegedly prompted a posse of other people to descend on Beaumont St after midnight.
Detectives will allege Sampson and his sister, Alivia Muriel Briggs, both stabbed Mr Callahan after he was set upon by a group of people further up Beaumont St.
He collapsed on the street and died a short time later.
Sampson has also been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company in relation to the alleged bashing of Mr Callahan’s friend near the kebab store at the original altercation.
He also faced one count of being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence.
Sampson was not required to enter any pleas and did not make a release application when he faced Tweed Heads Local Court on Tuesday.
He was formally remanded in custody to appear in Newcastle Local Court on May 6.
Sampson is the seventh person charged following Mr Callahan’s death.
The day after the alleged attack, North Lambton man Jason Talbot, 27, was arrested at Waratah police station at 11am and later charged with murder.
Briggs, 33, was arrested about 5pm on the same day at a bus stop in Bankstown and later charged with murder.
George James Fernando, 43, was arrested in Moree on November 27 and later charged with murder while Frank Allen, 35, was arrested in a Sydney jail the following day and also charged with murder.
Sampson’s girlfriend, 28-year-old Teelah Cooper, was arrested after walking into Newcastle police station in early January where she was later charged with accessory after the fact to murder and concealing a serious indictable offence.
Dianne Fernando, 39, was charged with murder (principal in the second degree) in February.
None of those charged have been required to enter any pleas.
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