Man jailed for murdering girlfriend's neighbour

Jaden Sheriff, pictured, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering Robert Weston

A 20-year-old man has been jailed for life after murdering his then-girlfriend's neighbour.

Robert Weston, 37, was found with stab wounds in a house in Harrow, north-west London, last year. He died on the street outside, despite the efforts of paramedics.

Jaden Sheriff, 20, of Hackney, north-east London, was sentenced at the Old Bailey to a minimum of 19 years for fatally stabbing Mr Weston during a row between the victim and Sheriff's girlfriend at the time.

Mr Weston's family said he was robbed of the chance to "live the life he deserved".

The court heard that Mr Weston had suffered from mental health issues, but before his death had been working to turn his life around.

In a victim impact statement, his mother Jan Dumbarton said her son "never harboured jealousy or ill will towards anyone".

She said he was "learning to cope with his struggles" and "his life was taken too soon".

"Robert is gone and a piece of me went with him," she told the court.

Mr Weston's sister, Marina Dumbarton, said: "Despite struggling with mental health issues, he fought every day to manage them."

"He was not someone who sought conflict," she said.

'Defenceless'

Passing sentence, Judge Rebecca Trowler KC said the murder took place following a verbal argument between Mr Weston and Sheriff's then-girlfriend.

She said Mr Weston was pointing his finger at Sheriff's girlfriend, but when Sheriff put himself between the two, Mr Weston retreated to his bedroom, "no longer posing any threat" to either of them.

Sheriff "pursued" Mr Weston, punching him and insulting him before stabbing him twice, "when he was on the ground, defenceless", she said.

Mr Weston "ran through the building to get away" from Sheriff and he collapsed and died in the street nearby.

Judge Trowler said Sheriff had claimed he was acting in self-defence during his trial, but the jury found him guilty of murder.

"There is no credible evidence that he was the first to pick up the knife as you claimed," she said.

'Spontaneous event'

Jenni Dempster KC, for Sheriff, said the defendant was a "young man who has himself faced significant challenges in his life".

She said he had made "good progress" so far in custody.

Judge Trowler described the murder as a "spontaneous event".

She said she was sentencing Sheriff on the basis that he did not intend to kill.

Letters from those Sheriff was working with in prison stated he was showing "willingness to face the reality of what [he has] done" and had shown "some remorse" for murdering Mr Weston, she added.