Gloucester drug dealer who murdered man over £10 debt jailed for life

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jun/06/drug-dealer-jailed-life-murder-gloucester

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A drug dealer has been jailed for life for chasing a man across a city centre park and murdering him over a £10 drug debt.

Neil Bennett, 50, was stabbed once in the back during an argument with Christopher Horn, 30, over a mephedrone deal before being pursued and fatally knifed in the chest.

Horn, of Gloucester, was convicted by a jury at Bristol crown court of murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Co-accused Ricky James, 34, and Lucy Dowdall, 20, and Tyler Johnson, 26, were acquitted of both charges and lesser alternatives.

Bennett died shortly after being knifed twice during the dispute in the centre of Gloucester on the evening of 27 July last year.

Prosecutors alleged that Horn – who took drugs as well as sold them – delivered the fatal blow having been egged on by Dowdall – with all four acting "jointly" to murder Bennett.

Mr Justice Dingemans said he was satisfied Horn had intended to kill Bennett once he started chasing him.

"There is evidence that you were fed up of people taking advantage of you and not paying for drugs and had been made to look silly in the flat when threatened by Mr Bennett," he said.

The judge also imposed a concurrent 12-year sentence for the wounding charge.

Detective Inspector Ian Ginn, who led the investigation, said: "This was a violent attack which left a family without a son, brother and uncle and our thoughts are with Neil Bennett's family at this time.

"I understand that this crime was very disturbing for the wider community at the time, but although crimes of this nature do happen they are rare in Gloucestershire.

"In this case the victim and his killer were known to each other and the underlying issue of drugs was also an aggravating factor."