Murderer Remee Jarrett jailed for wrong man stabbing

A murderer who apologised to the man he killed in error before chasing and stabbing his intended target has been jailed for at least 23 years.

Reuben Morris-Laing, 21, was found fatally injured outside a shop in St Ann's, Nottingham, on 22 March 2017, the city's crown court was told.

Remee Jarrett, 30, was heard to say "soz bro" to his victim.

Shane Morris, Mr Morris-Laing's father, said the fact his son died through mistaken identity was "hard to take".

Remee Jarrett hung around outside a shop and stabbed the first man to come out

The court heard from prosecutor Peter Joyce QC that Jarrett, of Kelvedon Garden in St Ann's, "bore a grudge" against Rakeem Thomas.

CCTV captured Jarrett arriving at the shop on Robin Hood Street shortly before 21:25 GMT, when Mr Thomas and Mr Morris-Laing were both inside.

More on this and other stories from the East Midlands

"They were both wearing similar clothing and had arrived in similar cars," Mr Joyce said.

Mr Morris-Laing left the shop first and was "immediately stabbed" in the abdomen by Jarrett.

Reuben Morris-Laing died in hospital

Mr Joyce said Jarrett "knew straight away that he had stabbed the wrong man", and a store assistant heard the killer say "soz bro" before he went into the shop and stabbed Mr Thomas, who survived.

After Jarrett fled passers-by tried to help Mr Morris-Laing but he died in hospital that night.

Delene Laing said no sentence could "ever be enough" to compensate for the loss of her son, and called Jarrett a "violent, cold killer" who had shown no remorse.

The judge, Mrs Justice Carr, said the murder was "pointless, senseless" and "the family's torture cannot be put into words".

Jarrett, who pleaded guilty last month to three charges, including murder, was also sentenced for attempted grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.