Knifeman jailed for minimum of 26 years

A knifeman who stabbed his friend 32 times after ringing 999 and saying he would kill someone, was jailed for at least 26 years today.

He was one of the first to be sentenced under new increased terms for knife crime.

David Howard, 43, was jailed for life at the Old Bailey for murdering Daniel Tyson, 43, on April 26.

A week later, the minimum starting point for knife killings was increased to 25 years.

Judge Jeffrey Pegden told Howard he would have to serve at least 26 years for a "brutal and ferocious" killing.

He said Howard had slashed Mr Tyson's throat, stabbed and slashed him and kicked his head when he was lying dying on the ground.

"You had the plainest intention to kill," the judge said.

He said the attack happened during the evening in a residential street where neighbours, including a 14-year-old boy, witnessed it.

Howard had been released from prison three days before on licence for threatening behaviour.

He had a long history of anti-social behaviour and threatening violence.

Brian Altman, QC, prosecuting, said the men spent the day drinking with a friend in Winchcombe Road, Carshalton, south London, where Howard lived.

Neighbours rang police after hearing shouting. Howard had a cut on his cheekbone which he said he had received during a play-fight with Tyson.

Howard told the officers: "We are like brothers", and the men assured them that there was no cause for concern.

A few hours later, Howard made the first of his two 999 calls to emergency services.

He told the operator: "There's gonna be a knife fight now, someone's gonna die."

He gave the operator his name and address and repeated: "I'm gonna go kill him".

A few minutes later Howard called 999 again and told the operator that he had just "killed someone".

Officers arrived at the scene within minutes of Howard's first call but despite the efforts of police and ambulance staff, Mr Tyson died at the scene.

Detective Inspector Donna Convery said outside court: "It is difficult to know what drove Howard to stab his friend to death.

"As far as we have been able to establish he just decided that he had had enough of Daniel Tyson and a drunken brawl descended into a vicious murder.

"This was a sad and tragic waste of Daniel Tyson's life."