DRUG dealer Jason Howells has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for stabbing a fellow drug dealer in the heart.
Howells, 35, was found guilty by a jury at Chester Crown Court of the manslaughter of 23-year-old Fynn Western-Davey at his Balmoral Park home in Chester on January 23 by reason of provocation – but not guilty of murder.
Howells was found to have deliberately stabbed him with intent to cause at least really serious harm while his argument he picked up the kitchen knife in self-defence was rejected.
But the provocation factor, which offered a partial defence to the original murder charge, was Mr Western-Davey’s denial that he had stolen £5,000 worth of drugs which caused Howells to lose self control suddenly and temporarily.
High Court judge Mr Justice Nigel Teare said: “Fynn Davey was a drug dealer and he double crossed you. None of this is an excuse for what you did. The facts of the case are another illustration of the dreadful consequences that dealing in hard drugs can bring about.”
The Judge accepted Mr Western-Davey may also have made threats against Howells and his girlfriend Nicola Bishop, who was found not guilty of murder in the same case last week.
And there may have been “an element” of self-defence when Howells picked up the knife to prevent Mr Wester-Davey doing the same.
He was sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter with a further two years for possessing cocaine and heroin with intent to supply – matters he admitted at the outset. Howells will serve half his sentence in jail and the rest on licence.
There were shouts of “scumbag” and “we should have wiped you out” from the public gallery as he was taken down.
Outside court, Bev Ward, mother of the deceased’s girlfriend Stacey Ward, 22, was unhappy Howells had been found not guilty of murder.
She said: “So if I go into a shop and steal something does that mean the shopkeeper has the right to stab me?”
Howells’ tearful fiancée Miss Bishop said: “I think the verdict was fair. I think the sentences should have been concurrent because they were all linked but I understand the judge’s reasons. I hope this will give Fynn’s mum some closure.”
See also:
I'm standing by my man, says Nicola Bishop
Victim's girlfriend arrested outside court
