Three men who murdered a Suffolk father-of-five have been given jail sentences totalling 58 years.
The defendants, who all denied murdering 41-year-Old Dean Stansby from Trimley St Mary, were found guilty by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court last week after a 65-day trial.
Before the court today were: Tecwyn Parker, 48, of Downside Close, Ipswich; Daniel Kaganda, 24, of north London; Amiadul Islam, 25, of Caistor Park Road, east London; and Jason Ruby, 45, of no fixed abode in Ipswich, who was also convicted of conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin.
Tecwyn, Kaganda and Ruby were all given mandatory life sentences.
Parker was told he would have to serve a minimum of 22 years before he could be considered for release by the parole board and Kaganda and Ruby were each ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years.
Islam will be sentenced at a later date.
Mr Stansby was stabbed in Ancaster Road, Ipswich, on February 8 last year.
He was found collapsed by a member of the public at about 6.30pm and taken to Ipswich Hospital, but died as the result of a stab wound to the abdomen.
Detectives learned Mr Stansby had gone to buy drugs from a chain known as “AJ and Sky”, for which Islam was an organiser in London, while Parker and Ruby were local users hired to deal drugs provided by Kaganda – a runner – who controlled the drugs and received cash from their sale.
Parker was sent to deal to Mr Stansby but alleged that when he met him, he recognised him and thought he was going to be robbed.
He then returned to a flat where Kaganda and Ruby were located, and a series of phone calls took place with Islam in London.
Kaganda, Parker and Ruby went back to confront Mr Stansby, who was then fatally stabbed.
Kaganda and Islam admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs before the murder trial, while Ruby denied any involvement – claiming he was just a user.
Paul Mendelle QC for Parker said his client was a heroin addict and was at the lower end of the “food chain”.
Paul Keleher QC for Kaganda said the court couldn’t be sure that his client knew a knife was being taken to the scene.
Jennifer Dempster QC, for Ruby, said there was no evidence her client had a knife with him on the evening of Mr Stansby’s murder or that he knew anyone else was carrying a knife.
She said although he was under the influence of crack cocaine there was no evidence it had affected his behaviour.
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