Tanis Bhandari stabbing: Pair jailed for life for murder

Donald Pemberton and Ryan Williams were armed with a knife and axe

Two men who murdered a builder on New Year's Day have been jailed for life and will serve at least 23 years before being considered for parole.

Donald Pemberton, 21, and Ryan Williams, 22, murdered Tanis Bhandari near the Kings Arms pub in Tamerton Foliot, near Plymouth.

Mr Bhandari, 27, was stabbed twice during the attack and died at the scene, Plymouth Crown Court heard.

Williams admitted murder and Pemberton was found guilty by a jury.

Both men have also been convicted of assaults on four men who were with Mr Bhandari.

Dozens of flowers and tributes were left at the scene of the attack

The court heard Mr Bhandari was wounded in the back after meeting the two men, who were armed with a knife and axe.

Pemberton, of Victoria Road, and Williams, of Haydon Grove, both in Plymouth, had armed themselves after exchanging abuse and a series of threats with a man on Facebook and had set out to try to find him.

They had already accosted a number of groups of people, trying to provoke them, the court was told.

Donald Pemberton had denied murder

Tanis Bhandari left the Kings Arms as part of a group in Tamerton Foliot at about 01:30 GMT to head for a party when they came across Donald Pemberton and Ryan Williams, who were "looking for trouble", the jury was told.

The court heard Mr Bhandari was attacked "for no reason at all" and they left behind a "scene of carnage".

Tanis was popular in the community and his murder caused shock in Plymouth.

When asked by the police about what he had done, Pemberton said Tanis could "die all he wants, I don't care".

Sentencing the pair, Mr Justice Teare said Mr Bhandari's family had been "affected forever".

"Both defendants were in an aggressive mood," he said.

"It was an unnecessary and unprovoked attack.

"A safe village green was turned into a dangerous place."

Mr Bhandari's family said in a statement: "We do not take any pleasure in this, no matter the sentence it will not bring our son Tanis back. But what it does do is take these two thugs off the streets for a very long time. Plymouth will be a safer place and for that we are grateful."

Det Insp Ian Ringrose, from Devon and Cornwall Police's major crime investigation team, said: "This was a senseless, unprovoked and horrific attack on a group of friends celebrating the New Year.

"Tanis Bhandari lost his life at the age of 27 years and the attack has had a profound impact on the victims, their families, friends and the community."