Sam Davies murder: Four jailed for life over stab death

Sam Davies was found with serious knife wounds on 27 May and later died

Four men who planned and carried out a fatal stabbing over a grudge have been jailed for life for murder.

Sam Davies, 23, died after being found with knife wounds to his chest in Lincoln's Coleridge Gardens on 27 May.

Mr Davies was killed by Eimantas Gochman, 20, in the attack arranged by Daniel Heydari, 25, Joe Jameson, 24 and Billy Gill, aged 21.

Nottingham Crown Court heard Mr Davies was "executed in cold blood" after a £5,000 fee was agreed.

During the trial, jurors heard how Jameson and Heydari held a grudge against Mr Davies and had arranged via Gill for Gochman to carry out the "hit".

William Harbage QC, prosecuting, told the court Mr Davies suffered two significant wounds, inflicted by a large hunting knife after Gochman had lain in wait for him.

"It is a ferocious weapon - sometimes known as a Rambo knife," he said.

The prosecutor told the court Mr Davies had moved to Nottingham about a week before his death, but had returned to Lincoln after being caught stealing from a friend of Heydari.

Mr Davies's move from Lincoln had also coincided with him falling out with Jameson, the jury heard.

From top left, Billy Gill, Daniel Heydari, Eimantis Gochman and Joe Jameson were all handed life terms

All four defendants were sentenced to life in prison.

Heydari, of Chestnut Street, and Jameson, of Whitehall Terrace, were told they must serve a minimum of 25 years.

Gochman, of Sturton Close, will serve a minimum of 24 years and Gill, of Hatcliffe Gardens, 23.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Goss told Jameson, who was also convicted of making threats to kill, "events overtook the threat, which turned into a reality".

Gochman, the judge said, had carried out the attack with a lethal weapon in the expectation of financial reward.

Gill and Heydari were told they had been instrumental in the planning of the attack.

The judge described Mr Davies as "a gifted young man", who intended to return to complete his university studies.

"His family will never know what might have been and plans made will remain unfulfilled," the judge said.