Youth, 17, sentenced to life for ‘senseless’ murder of keen sportsman

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A “volatile and out-of-control” teenager who was aged 16 when he stabbed a man to death outside a shopping centre has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 13 years and three months.

The killer, now aged 17 and whose identity is protected by a court order, wiped away tears with a tissue during his sentencing for the murder of keen sportsman Tom Ellis, who was out with his girlfriend and other friends to celebrate around a fortnight after his 25th birthday.

CCTV footage shown to Judge Andrew Lockhart KC captured the moment the boy stabbed Mr Ellis near Nuneaton’s Ropewalk Shopping Centre on the evening of June 8 this year.

After inflicting a single stab wound to the victim’s chest with a “huge” hunting-type knife, causing him to die hours later in hospital, the boy asked his mother to collect a takeaway meal he ordered before the stabbing, the court heard.

Opening the facts of the case at Warwick Crown Court, prosecutor Peter Grieves-Smith told Judge Lockhart: “By the time Tom Ellis was murdered the defendant was volatile and out of control.

“He chose to carry knives on a regular basis.

“The prosecution accept that the offence wasn’t planned, there was a single stab wound and the defendant did not have an intention to kill.”

The murder was committed during an interaction between Mr Ellis and the defendant, who was with other youths, following “a brief exchange of words” and then a disagreement, Mr Grieves-Smith said.

The killer, who ran off after the stabbing and briefly hid under a car, lunged forwards once, while Mr Ellis had an arm extended towards the boy.

Offering mitigation, defence KC Louise Sweet said the 17-year-old, who was in the habit of sleeping with a knife in bed and had bleached a weapon found by police at his home after the killing, had since “demonstrated deep shame”.

The defence lawyer told the court: “He has said he wishes he could change places with Mr Ellis.

“He is highly remorseful and described his own actions as – the word is repeated in the pre-sentence report – monstrous.”

The victim’s father and partner of six years both read victim impact statements to the court, describing their unbearable pain at the “senseless” murder and paying tribute to Mr Ellis as someone who would do anything for anyone and had done jobs for neighbours free of charge.

Passing sentence, Judge Lockhart said it would not be appropriate to lift a ban on naming the defendant, who pleaded guilty to murder and unlawful possession of a knife at a previous hearing.

The judge told the youth: “It’s a special feature of this case that you killed Tom in front of his loved ones in a public place.

“You were carrying this knife on a daily basis.

“Tom Ellis didn’t know that you had that knife ready for use.

“I accept he punched out towards you.

“I am sure that words were exchanged, I am sure that the first words of abuse came from your group.

“I am sure that after that, you decided to move off and go off after him, armed as you were with your huge knife.

“You brought that knife out on that night ready for use if required.”

The judge said the killing was aggravated by the fact that the boy, who used cannabis, had ignored “warnings” from his mother about his interest in knives, and the fact it took place in a public place.

While it arose quickly as a result of short-lived events, the murder happened after the boy followed Mr Ellis, the judge added.