A man found by police mopping up blood after fatally stabbing a dad-of-five in Cardiff has been sentenced to life in prison.
Stephen Pike admitted stabbing 39-year-old Clint Simms in the chest, but denied murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter.
He claimed he was acting in self-defence, but was found guilty of murder by a jury following a two-week trial at Cardiff Crown Court .
It took the jury of nine men and three women about 13 hours to return their verdict.
Mr Simms was pronounced dead by paramedics outside his mother’s house in Glyndwr Road in Ely at around 12.15pm on March 3.
Pike, 59, from Mill Road in Ely will spend a minimum of 20-years behind bars.
As it happened:
Hearing over
Judge Rees has now left the courtroom.
Minimum term of 20 years
Judge Rees said the minimum term will be 20 years.
Life in prison
The judge said: “Clint Simms was a loving son, father and grandfather, much loved by his family, including five children and four grandchildren.
“No sentence I can pass will ever lessen the sense of grief and loss the family must have.”
Judge Rees must sentence Pike to life in prison and fix the minimum term.
She said aggravating factors include his previous convictions for violence.
Mitigation includes a lack of pre-meditation.
The judge accepts the defendant could and should have stayed in the safety of his flat and waited for the police to arrive.
She said: “If the defendant had paused, he would have seen that Mr Simms was unarmed.”
Police arrived at the scene
Pike went back into the flat and told his lodger: “I gave him bam, bam, bam.”
He then rang a friend and told them he was expecting the police.
Two police officers arrived and found the defendant mopping up blood.
Mr Simms was pronounced dead at 12.15pm.
The defendant told his lodger: “I stabbed him, stuck it in his chest.”
In his police interviews, he claimed he did nothing more than punch him to the face.
The judge said: “Although Mr Simms had a reputation for carrying knives, there is no evidence he was carrying one that morning.”
Stabbed in the chest
Mr Manfield called 999 and the operator told him not to open the door.
The judge said Pike went outside and stabbed Mr Simms in the chest.
The lodger heard someone shout from his van “don’t do it”.
Witnesses said Mr Simms did nothing in his own defence and “staggered” back to the car.
As Mr Simms got back in the car, he shouted: “Beano, you’re a dead man.”
The judge said: “It was obvious he was seriously hurt.”
Picked up knives
On the morning of the incident, Mr Simms was heard to say he was looking for drug dealers to rob.
Friends and family said Mr Simms was prone to exaggeration.
The incident occurred around 10.30am on Mill Road in Ely at Pike’s flat.
The court heard lodger James Manfield and Stephen Pike were asleep in the flat on Mill Road.
Pike picked up two knives when he heard Mr Simms kicking his door.
History of ill-feeling
Judge Eleri Rees is now sentencing.
She said: “He has refused to come up from the cells to hear his sentence.”
The court heard Pike stabbed Mr Simms to the chest.
The judge said: “There was a history of ill feeling between them.”
In his police interview Pike claimed he had been previously assaulted by Mr Simms.
"Worst day of my life"
The prosecution have just read a victim personal statement from victim Clint Simms’ mother Sheila Harwood.
She said: “Clint was my son who I loved dearly.
“He was a good father to his five children.
“Clint was very loyal and protective of his family and friends.
“March 3 was the worst day of my life.
“The pain I have had to see my family go through has been unbearable.
“I will never be able to hug him or kiss him again. That pain will never go away.”
Defendant refusing to appear
The sentence hearing is starting a few minutes early.
Defence barrister Peter Wilcox QC said the defendant Stephen Pike does not wish to be present.
Judge Eleri Rees said the defendant should be in court, but is not willing to delay sentence.
Stephen Pike due in court
Today’s hearing is due to begin at 11.30am with the defendant being sentenced by Judge Eleri Rees.
see-http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/live-updates-stephen-pike-sentenced-11954027
No comments:
Post a Comment