Walsall dancefloor clubber's murderer jailed

Akeem Francis-Kerr died within an hour of being stabbed in the neck at the nightclub, on 11 March

A man has been jailed for life with a minimum of 22 years after he stabbed a clubber on the dancefloor when he found him in "his spot".

Edward Wilson, 40, attacked Akeem Francis-Kerr, 29, in Walsall in March, after returning from the toilet to find him talking to two women.

In response, he stabbed Mr Francis-Kerr in the neck, at Valesha's.

Sentencing Wilson, of Oldbury, the judge said the offence had been aggravated by 22 previous convictions.

His other offences include drug-trafficking, robbery and violence.

Birmingham Crown Court heard victim impact statements saying the killing had shattered Mr Francis-Kerr's family's lives "in every conceivable way".

Judge Kristina Montgomery KC told Wilson that CCTV from the nightclub gave the impression of him being "territorial" and "irritated" by Mr Francis-Kerr's intrusion on what he considered to be his "preferred" spot.

Police said Wilson showed "no remorse" for the murder

Wilson had denied murder and tried to blame a friend for the attack, but in September a jury at Stafford Crown Court convicted him.

Wilson admitted he had had an "altercation" and the pair exchanged blows, but he denied stabbing Mr Francis-Kerr, who died on the way to hospital.

But the judge said the defendant produced a knife during the scuffle and, after inflicting the fatal blow, bystanders, including members of the victim's family, endured seeing paramedics trying to save his life.

"He was only 29 years of age when you killed him," the judge added, stating Mr Francis-Kerr was a "kind, considerate and selfless character."

Wilson reacted to Akeem with "extreme and unprovoked violence", police said

Wilson was arrested at a flat in Sheffield on 14 March, which police said he had rented to hide out in.

As he was led away from court to begin his life sentence there was applause from the public gallery and shouts of "justice".

In a statement released through West Midlands Police, Mr Francis-Kerr's family said nothing would ever return or replace his "unmatched energy".

The universe would "shine a lot brighter with him on the other side," they added.