Teenager jailed for Christmas Day murder

Kersharn Dockeray-Barnett

A teenager who stabbed a man to death on Christmas Day has been jailed.

Kersharn Dockeray-Barnett, then aged just 17, fatally wounded 29-year-old Reece Connor on a pavement near Nottingham’s Crown Island after a brief altercation.

The teenager, now aged 18, admitted to delivering a single stab wound to the chest, but claimed to have been acting in self-defence.

After a three-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court in July he was found guilty of Reece's murder.

Appearing at the same venue today (Monday) he was given a life sentence with a minimum jail term of 19 years. 

The jury at his trial heard how Dockeray-Barnett had had an altercation with Reece in a nearby underpass shortly before he was stabbed. 

The exact details of that incident are unknown, but it was undoubtedly the trigger for the fatal violence that followed, when Dockeray-Barnett ran towards and confronted Reece.

In passing sentence, Judge Nirmal Shant KC said she was satisfied from the evidence that Dockeray-Barnett had taken a knife to the scene, having returned there to confront Reece following their earlier altercation.

The judge added: "You have deprived his partner of the love she had known since she was 13 and you have deprived two boys of their father.

"She and they had to learn of the devastating news on Boxing Day, which should be a day of family togetherness."

The investigation

Dockeray-Barnett was identified after detectives worked through the night to gather evidence.

Using CCTV recordings, doorbell camera footage and mobile phone data, they were able to track the movements of Reece and his killer in the moments before, during and after the incident.

With detectives closing in, Dockeray-Barnett handed himself in. He later claimed to have acted in self-defence using a knife dropped by the victim – before throwing it away in a location he had since forgotten.

He was found guilty by a majority verdict.

'Christmas will never be the same again'

At today’s sentencing hearing, Reece’s partner read out a statement describing the kind of person he was and how his murder had left turned her world “upside down”.

The statement read:

"Reece was so loving and affectionate. He gave me confidence that made me feel like I could conquer anything. My Reece could always make me laugh and he would do anything to make me smile.

"We did so many things together and went to so many places and had lots of memories. My Reece was an active person and loved to be outside even in the rain, which was his favourite type of weather. He loved the feeling of rain on his face.

"We had two beautiful boys and he was such a good father to them both. He was very hands on and would make time for them even after doing 12 hour shifts.

“Since this day my life has never been the same again, my world has been turned upside down. Christmas will never be the same again. This was a time of year which was such a special event for the children. We all loved Christmas – my Reece loved nothing more than spending Christmas with me and the children, this will never ever happen again.

“The children will grow up with a different perspective on Christmas. I’m dreading Christmas time this year, so much so I feel like leaving the country as I can’t face it.

“The children will grow up not really knowing their dad and how amazing he was and how much he loved them. I’m dreading the day when they ask ‘Where’s my dad’ and ‘How did he die’ – questions no parent should have to answer. All they are going to have are pictures, videos and second hand memories.

“I miss my Reece so much. I feel like I have lost my left side as I am right handed and Reece is left handed. He was my rock and I was his. I miss his smile, the laughter and the life we had.”

Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Clare Gibson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "This was a tragic case that cost a man his life and robbed two young boys of their father. 

"We may never know what happened between these two men in the nearby underpass, but it certainly didn't justify the appalling violence that followed.

"As this case comes to a close, my thoughts and those of the many detectives involved, remain with Reece’s family and friends."