Revenge attack killer who chased and stabbed father-of-three is jailed for life
Judge Steven Coupland confirmed the killing of Mr Cook was motivated by "anger and revenge."
A murderer who chased after and stabbed a father-of-three following a fight inside a pub has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years.
Brandon Byrne was habitually carrying a kitchen knife in Newark town centre in Nottinghamshire before he used the weapon to stab James Cook in the neck and stomach.
A trial at Nottingham Crown Court was told Byrne, aged 23, went looking for Mr Cook after being ejected from the rear of the pub, having been headbutted and suffered a bite injury to his lip during a brawl.
Part-way through the fatal attack in Castle Gate at around 11.50pm on April 30 last year, Byrne “paused” and then kicked the victim to the head.
Passing sentence on Friday, Judge Steven Coupland said the second stab wound to 40-year-old Mr Cook’s body was inflicted while he was defenceless on the ground.
Byrne, dressed in a blue suit and a red tie for his sentencing hearing, was found guilty of murder on Thursday, the first anniversary of the killing.
The killer, formerly of Winston Court, Newark, showed no emotion during the reading of victim impact statements describing him as a “monster” who had cruelly “destroyed an entire family”.
Judge Coupland told Byrne, who pleaded guilty to the separate charge of possessing an offensive weapon, that he believed he had intended to kill Mr Cook.
The judge said: “In an incident lasting less than two minutes just before midnight a year ago yesterday you murdered James Cook.
“I am satisfied you had become angry and you were looking for revenge.
“You chased him a long way. You had plenty of time to decide what to do or to think better of it.”
Byrne, who has two young children, had been provoked inside the pub, the judge said, adding: “I accept that you are remorseful that James Cook is dead.
“But that remorse is tempered by the fact that you chose to deny the offence and have a trial.”
Offering mitigation prior to sentencing, defence KC Lisa Wilding submitted that Byrne had not formed an intention to kill at the time of the stabbing.
She said: “The events that took place were the tragic combination of a sequence of events that were avoidable by him but also not wholly of the defendant’s making.
“In his words he holds his hands up to it. He never wanted any of this to happen.”