The man who fatally stabbed a young St Albans man has been found guilty of murder and sentenced to life today (Friday).
Paul Crosbie, 26, of Camden, stabbed 20-year-old Emille Stapleton to death during an altercation on October 24 last year.
He was sentenced to a minimum term of 23 years in prison at Cambridge Crown Court today (April 29).
The court heard that Emille had been in a car with friends at about 1.30am on the Saturday morning when they came across a group in London Road, St Albans.
One of the group kicked the car so Emille and the others got out before a scuffle occurred.
Emille and his friends then got back in the car and drove off before heading back to the London Road area at about 3am.
They came across one of the men who had been involved in the earlier altercation. He was quickly joined by others, including Paul Crosbie, who came from a block of flats.
Another fight occurred between the two groups during which Emille was fatally stabbed.
Crosbie fled the scene before calling police three days later to admit what he had done.
Det Insp Justine Jenkins from Beds, Cambs and Herts Major Crime Unit was investigating.
She said: “The events of that night resulted in the tragic loss of a young life.
“Paul Crosbie claimed he was acting in self-defence when he killed Emille however, there is no evidence to suggest he would have needed to do so.
“Understandably this has been an extremely difficult time for Emille’s family and whils nothing can bring him back, I hope the sentence given to Paul Crosbie will be of some comfort to them.”
Crosbie had been on trial since April 18.
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