Tunbridge Wells murder: David Squelch jailed for life

David Squelch had had a previous confrontation with his victim, Kent Police said

A man has been jailed for life for murdering a colleague in a frenzied attack after giving him a lift to work.

Lorry driver David Squelch stabbed father-of-four James Wallington 14 times at the recycling centre in Tunbridge Wells where they worked.

Squelch, 48, of Paddock Wood, Kent, was jailed for life at Canterbury Crown Court after being convicted of murdering the father of four.

Judge Adele Williams said he should serve a minimum of 22 years.

The court heard there had previously been a brief confrontation between the two, in 2014, over comments Mr Wallington was said to have made about the way Squelch had handled the death of his mother.

Caught on camera

But Kent Police said the pair appeared to have made up.

However, the court heard that on 9 March 2015, after Squelch had driven his colleague to work on the North Farm estate in Tunbridge Wells, he produced a knife and stabbed his 44-year-old victim 14 times in the space of 15 seconds.

The incident was captured on the yard's CCTV cameras.

CCTV cameras at the yard caught the pair arriving at work

Squelch then walked into the office, told the foreman what he had done and waited for police to arrive, the court was told.

He was heard to say: "She's dead... now he's dead."

Det Ch Insp Tony Pledger, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said after the sentencing: "This was a vicious, and sustained attack, and once Squelch had killed the victim, he calmly waited for the police to arrive.

"Squelch appears to have struggled to cope with the grief of losing a loved one. However, he has now inflicted the same grief on another family by senselessly murdering Mr Wallington.

"The sentence that has been passed fits the crime."