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Man jailed for life over murder of girlfriend’s ex-partner in ‘cruel’ attack


By PA News

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A man has been jailed for at least 19 years for stabbing his girlfriend’s ex-partner to death in a “sustained and cruel” attack.

Alex Fitzpatrick, 30, was knifed at least 17 times in the neck and chest outside the home of his former girlfriend Kelly Anderson in St Neots, Cambridgeshire.

Following an Old Bailey trial, Robert Parkins, 33, was found guilty of murder and jailed for life with a minimum term of 19 years.

On Monday, Judge Wendy Joseph QC told Parkins: “This was a sustained and cruel attack against a man with no means with which to defend himself.

“I’m satisfied that when you confronted Alex you well knew you had a knife in your hand and intended at the very least to threaten him with it and then, losing your temper, though not your self-control, you used it to kill.

“Alex suffered horrendous and unsurvivable injuries. He was stabbed at least 17 times.”

She added that Parkins had shown no remorse and the impact on Mr Fitzpatrick’s eight-year-old son, who lived at the address, had been “dreadful”.

Alex Fitzpatrick was stabbed by his girlfriend’s ex-partner (Cambridgeshire Constabulary/PA)
Alex Fitzpatrick was stabbed by his girlfriend’s ex-partner (Cambridgeshire Constabulary/PA)

The trial heard how there had been “animosity” between Mr Fitzpatrick and Parkins.

Last September, the victim had taken news of Parkins moving in with Ms Anderson and his son “badly” and had “made his thoughts and feelings clear”, the trial heard.

On the afternoon of Sunday October 13, Mr Fitzpatrick, originally from Cornwall, had dropped his son home after taking him swimming.

He returned on his motorbike after Ms Anderson found her son had forgotten his glasses.

A row broke out, with Mr Fitzpatrick refusing to hand over the boy’s spectacles, jurors heard.

Ms Anderson took the child inside before Parkins, who had been peeling potatoes in the kitchen, went outside with a knife.

During the ensuing fight, Parkins stabbed unarmed Mr Fitzpatrick repeatedly.

Mr Fitzpatrick was heard to shout for his former partner and son as he lay on the ground mortally injured, the court heard.

He was pronounced dead at the scene despite efforts to save him.

Judge Joseph rejected the defendant’s claim that Mr Fitzpatrick had smashed his motorbike crash helmet repeatedly into his head during the fight.

She also said that Parkins’ disposal of the knife after fleeing the scene was a deliberate attempt to evade justice.

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