Life sentence for man who killed young Casey
A MAN has been jailed for life for murdering a much-loved young man from Halifax.
Jake Wilkinson, 21, of Furness Drive in Ovenden was told he would serve a minimum of 22 years after stabbing Casey Badhams near a children’s play area on Myrtle Avenue in Ovenden in August last year.
At the start of the murder trial, prosecutor Alistair MacDonald QC described how Wilkinson had armed himself with a large knife from his partner’s home following an earlier row between himself and Casey, who was also 21.
The jury were shown CCTV footage of Wilkinson getting out of his partner’s car on Myrtle Avenue just before 9am on August
“Casey never stood a chance. It was a single blow that pierced his heart.”
7 and heading over towards Casey, who was with a friend.
During a confrontation, Wilkinson swung the knife at Casey and stabbed him in the side, penetrating his heart.
As Wilkinson ran off, Casey collapsed to the ground, Despite the efforts of passers-by and the emergency services, he died from his injury.
The jury heard how the two men had been drinking together with others after a “chance meeting” in the early hours, but an argument started after they exchanged insults.
Wilkinson claimed that Casey had threatened to “shank” him and come to his house and kill him.
He described feeling scared and confused and said he had got the knife to confront Casey about what he had said.
Wilkinson claimed he panicked and was trying to keep Casey away with the knife.
But after the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on the murder charge, Judge Jonathan Rose said the attack had been a pre-planned act of revenge.
“You instigated and initiated the violence,” he told Wilkinson. “You sought out that violence and you were the cause of it.”
Judge Rose said there had been a “petty and pointless” argument following an exchange of insults but Casey had walked away and considered the argument was at an end.
He said Wilkinson’s attempt during the trial to paint Casey as a man of violence has been rejected by the jury.
In a moving victim impact statement, Casey’s mother Samina Kershaw described how her son had his whole life in front of him and had wanted
to see the world and go to work in Thailand.
She said every day was a battle to get up and get dressed and some days the pain was too much to bear.
She said her son had a cheeky smile and added: ”I miss his smile so much.
“Casey never stood a chance, as we now know, it was a single blow that pierced his heart.”
She said her heart was not just broken it had ripped out and a piece was missing.
“I hope this sentence deters others from carrying a knife and stops other families going through what we went through,” she added.
Jailing father-of-three Wilkinson for life, Judge Rose said Casey had offered no violence towards the defendant.
“I’m satisfied you knew full well what you had done and you turned and ran away,” he added.
“I regret to say I do not accept you have displayed any genuine remorse for the death of Casey Badhams.
“No sentence this court can impose will reduce or ease the pain of Casey’s family after the loss of such a loved young man.”
Jake Wilkinson’s trial and sentence at Bradford Crown Court last month could not be reported due to a judge’s order, but on Tuesday the restriction was lifted.