Bridgend roofer jailed for life for taxi driver murder

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-33550770

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A roofer from Bridgend has been jailed for life for murdering his love rival.

Kevin Syms, 56, from Porthcawl, hit taxi driver Nicholas Tame, 46, after pushing him down a flight of stairs.

Swansea Crown Court heard the incident took place at the home of Syms' girlfriend Joanne Parkhouse Thomas in Pyle following a night at the pub.

Syms, who denied murder, was jailed for at least 14 years. Parkhouse Thomas was jailed for 18 months for perverting the course of justice by lying to police.

The judge, Justice Wyn Williams, said the murder was "spontaneous" and not pre-planned.

"I am sure that you killed Mr Tame by pushing him deliberately down the stairs and then striking him," he said.

The court was told an argument took place after Mr Tame and Parkhouse Thomas woke Syms and asked him to leave, and that Syms believed Parkhouse Thomas "wanted another bloke".

Syms admitted pushing Mr Tame into a bedroom door but claimed he was in bed when he heard him fall down the stairs.

Prosecuting, Patrick Harrington QC said: "The injuries to the head were dreadful. They were inflicted with a hard object to a man laying helpless at the bottom of the stairs."