'Cowardly ' parking dispute murderer jailed

Alder Willis stabbed an unarmed man in a long-running dispute over parking

A "cowardly" cafe owner who murdered a father of three young children in a "childish" parking dispute has been jailed for at least 18 years.

Alder Willis, 68, fatally stabbed 35-year-old Andrew Darn at the Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate in March, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Willis had claimed he acted in self defence but was found guilty of murder and jailed for life with a minimum term.

Mr Darn's family said their lives had been "obliterated" by his "pointless" death.

The stabbing on 27 March was " a final act in a history of antagonism" between Easy Access Garage Doors, which Mr Darn had worked for since April 2022 and The Deli cafe run by Willis and his wife, prosecutor Francis Fitzgibbon KC said.

Judge Paul Sloan KC said the "very trivial and childish" feud began in 2010 over a dispute about parking.

Andrew Darn was a devoted partner and father and much-loved son and brother, his family said

The day before the killing there had been an altercation between Willis' wife and a woman from the garage door business, during which Willis threatened he would stab Mr Darn.

When Mr Darn drove home that afternoon, Willis followed him in his van making him feel scared and intimidated, Judge Sloan said.

At about 08:00 on 27 March, Mr Darn confronted Willis to ask why he had been following him.

CCTV footage showed the two men standing outside the units on High Flatworth talking and gesticulating for about 40 seconds before Mr Darn punched Willis twice in the head.

Willis pulled a knife from his pocket and stabbed Mr Darn twice in the chest causing catastrophic injuries to his heart, the court heard.

Judge Sloan said it was a "cowardly" attack carried out with force with the 4in (11cm)-long blade going almost all the way into Mr Darn.

Mr Darn was able to stagger back to his car where he bled to death while Willis returned to work, Mr Fitzgibbon said.

There had been a long-running dispute with the unit between the two businesses used by Willis for storage

Judge Sloan said Willis walked past Mr Darn in his car several times and at one point made a cut-throat gesture towards him, before finally going to look inside the vehicle.

Seeing Mr Darn slumped and serious injured, Willis went to the cafe, told his wife what had happened and the pair shut the business and fled home.

There Willis called a friend to say he would be unable to go to Benidorm with them the next week, told his wife he would not see her for 15 years.

He then contacted his solicitor then handed himself in at a police station.

Mr Darn was discovered by his employer but despite efforts by passers-by and the emergency services, he was declared dead at the scene at about 09:00.

Judge Sloan said Willis knew Mr Darn had been stabbed and seriously injured but "did nothing at all to help" the victim, adding Willis and his wife were more concerned about getting their dog home than Mr Darn's welfare.

Willis, of Allanville, Camperdown, North Tyneside, had been cautioned in 2021 for assaulting the owner of the garage business and had previously made several threats to kill Mr Darn, the court heard.

'Broken beyond repair'

Mr Darn's father Michael Darn told the court he had lost his son and his best friend.

He said his son was a "larger than life character" who was "always making us laugh" and who had "so much to live for".

Michael Darn said his son would visit every Thursday and immediately raid the fridge for chocolate biscuits, adding: "I still hear the footsteps every Thursday expecting him to walk in".

He said he and his son had spent 14 years working away together but Mr Darn was excited about getting a job closer to home so he could spend more time with his partner and their children aged 12, five and three.

Mr Darn's mother Deborah Darn said their lives had been "obliterated" and she feared his younger children would have no memories of him.

The court heard Mr Darn was keen carp angler and was planning to take over the garage door business.

His partner Stephanie said his death had had a significant impact on their "distraught" children, adding: "Our babies shouldn't be without their dad.

"My world has crumbled and is broken beyond repair. Andrew was my best friend, my person, my love."

She said his death had been "pointless and heartless".