Killer jailed for 'setting up' stab victim's attack

Clifford Alvarez was identified after a previous trial mentioned his nickname, DJ

A man has been jailed for murder after his nickname was mentioned in a previous trial over the killing, allowing police to identify him.

Junior Osborne, 50, died from a single stab wound to his neck in Leicester in September 2023, which a judge described as a "brutal, cold-blooded killing".

Clifford Alvarez, 45, was found guilty of Mr Osborne's murder on Wednesday at Leicester Crown Court and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 26 years at the same venue on Friday.

He was identified by police after his nickname, DJ, was mentioned at a trial that saw five teenagers convicted for their part in the killing.

The court heard Junior Osborne was a much-loved husband, father, brother and stepfather

Alvarez, of Neston Gardens in Leicester, denied the nickname but a jury found him guilty of his involvement in Mr Osborne's killing.

During a trial in May 2024, Nero McLean, 16, was convicted of murder, while his brother Nevardo McLean, was found guilty of manslaughter, along with Theobald Budzwa, Moises Steiner and James Williams - all aged 16 to 18.

CCTV was shown to jurors of the group together before, during and after Mr Osborne was fatally stabbed as he cycled along Narborough Road at 21:30 BST on 27 September.

Alvarez, also on a pushbike, stopped in front of Mr Osborne as he tried to ride away, allowing Nero McLean to strike the fatal blow, the court had heard.

A public appeal with a £20,000 reward for information was shared before Alvarez was identified

Addressing Alvarez, Judge Timothy Spencer KC said: "In simple terms, you set him up to be attacked.

"You were well aware that Junior Osborne was to be subject to a knife attack and well aware that you had a role to play in that attack."

The judge said there was a "significant degree of planning" in the killing, and described Alvarez as a "manipulative man", whose expressions of regret were "empty and hollow".

"A crueller or more heartless killing is hard to imagine," he added.

In mitigation, the court heard Alvarez was "in the grip of a drug addiction" and wanted to ingratiate himself to the "drug-dealing group" by following their orders.

The court heard statements from Mr Osborne's wife, Julie, which said his life was "taken by children trying to act like adults".

"I just want there to be justice for Junior and our daughter," the statement added.

Mr Osborne came to the UK in 1997, following the volcanic eruption in Montserrat where he was born.