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| Jessie J event stabbing: Man guilty of bottle murder | Jessie J event stabbing: Man guilty of bottle murder |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A man who attacked a phone executive with a bottle at a south London event where singer Jessie J was performing has been found guilty of murder. | A man who attacked a phone executive with a bottle at a south London event where singer Jessie J was performing has been found guilty of murder. |
| Ashley Charles, 26, was at the bar at Pulse nightclub when he grabbed a bottle from 37-year-old Phillip Sherriff's hand and slashed his neck. | Ashley Charles, 26, was at the bar at Pulse nightclub when he grabbed a bottle from 37-year-old Phillip Sherriff's hand and slashed his neck. |
| At the Old Bailey, Charles, of Nevanthon Road, Leicester, was given a life sentence and told he will serve a minimum of 14 years. | At the Old Bailey, Charles, of Nevanthon Road, Leicester, was given a life sentence and told he will serve a minimum of 14 years. |
| The graphic designer had denied murder. | The graphic designer had denied murder. |
| The attack happened at the bar at Pulse nightclub in Southwark, south London in April. | The attack happened at the bar at Pulse nightclub in Southwark, south London in April. |
| Charles claimed he acted in self-defence but Judge Paul Worsley said Charles killed Mr Sherriff, a telephone executive from Preston, Lancashire, because he was annoyed. | Charles claimed he acted in self-defence but Judge Paul Worsley said Charles killed Mr Sherriff, a telephone executive from Preston, Lancashire, because he was annoyed. |
| Father-of-two Mr Sherriff had travelled to London with colleagues for the promotion event organised by mobile phone company Blackberry, for which he worked. | Father-of-two Mr Sherriff had travelled to London with colleagues for the promotion event organised by mobile phone company Blackberry, for which he worked. |
| Jurors heard Charles had travelled to London from Leicester with his brother and friends to attend the event. | Jurors heard Charles had travelled to London from Leicester with his brother and friends to attend the event. |
| 'Split second' | 'Split second' |
| Judge Worsley told Charles: "Mr Sherriff may have pushed you in a crowded bar and made inoffensive remarks to a girl talking to you. | Judge Worsley told Charles: "Mr Sherriff may have pushed you in a crowded bar and made inoffensive remarks to a girl talking to you. |
| "You clearly became annoyed at what you perceived was the conduct of Mr Sherriff and lost your temper when he may have pushed against you at the bar." | "You clearly became annoyed at what you perceived was the conduct of Mr Sherriff and lost your temper when he may have pushed against you at the bar." |
| Charles grabbed a bottle from Mr Sherriff's hand, swung it behind him, breaking it, and slashed his neck. | Charles grabbed a bottle from Mr Sherriff's hand, swung it behind him, breaking it, and slashed his neck. |
| The judge said Charles had done something "which was truly out of character". | The judge said Charles had done something "which was truly out of character". |
| "I am satisfied you did not intend to kill Mr Sherriff and you were immediately remorseful," he said. | "I am satisfied you did not intend to kill Mr Sherriff and you were immediately remorseful," he said. |
| Andrew Hall, defending Charles, said his client had acted "in a split second of madness". | Andrew Hall, defending Charles, said his client had acted "in a split second of madness". |
| The court heard Mr Sheriff died four days after the attack. | The court heard Mr Sheriff died four days after the attack. |
| A post-mortem examination gave cause of death as a stab wound to the neck. | A post-mortem examination gave cause of death as a stab wound to the neck. |
| Duncan Penny, prosecuting, said the clash came just after midnight once the performers had left. | Duncan Penny, prosecuting, said the clash came just after midnight once the performers had left. |
| As people tried to help Mr Sherriff, Charles was detained by security staff. | As people tried to help Mr Sherriff, Charles was detained by security staff. |
| The court heard he asked them: "Is he OK? I wish I had not done that. It was a stupid mistake." | The court heard he asked them: "Is he OK? I wish I had not done that. It was a stupid mistake." |
| And after being arrested by police the jury was told he said: "Yeah, I know I bottled him. He kept pushing past me through the bar area." | And after being arrested by police the jury was told he said: "Yeah, I know I bottled him. He kept pushing past me through the bar area." |
| 'Lives devastated' | 'Lives devastated' |
| Mr Sherriff's wife Jane has launched a campaign to ban glass bottles from late night city centre clubs and pubs. | Mr Sherriff's wife Jane has launched a campaign to ban glass bottles from late night city centre clubs and pubs. |
| Speaking outside the court, she addressed Charles, saying: "I will never let another person like you devastate another family. | Speaking outside the court, she addressed Charles, saying: "I will never let another person like you devastate another family. |
| "Your actions have devastated so many people's lives." | "Your actions have devastated so many people's lives." |
| Mrs Sherriff said organ donations from her husband had saved three other lives, but the lives of her family, including her two young children, had been ruined. | |
| In a statement, she said: "I have always known that whatever the outcome today, nothing will fill the massive hole left when my husband Phil was so brutally taken away from us. | In a statement, she said: "I have always known that whatever the outcome today, nothing will fill the massive hole left when my husband Phil was so brutally taken away from us. |
| "However, I'm glad that justice has been done." | "However, I'm glad that justice has been done." |
| Det Insp Richard Beadle, the senior investigating officer in the case, said: "I hope his conviction will bring some sense of justice to the family who have been devastated by Phillip's murder. | Det Insp Richard Beadle, the senior investigating officer in the case, said: "I hope his conviction will bring some sense of justice to the family who have been devastated by Phillip's murder. |
| "He truly was a decent, hard-working family man who in no way contributed to his own demise." | "He truly was a decent, hard-working family man who in no way contributed to his own demise." |