Man jailed for killing friend on New Year's Day

A man who murdered his friend on New Year's Day has been jailed.

Conall Evans, 30, from Pentre, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was found injured in a car park outside Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda.

Ashley Davies, 30, from Pentre, was found guilty of murder following a 10-day trial. He was also found guilty of possession of a bladed article.

At Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, Davies was sentenced to 26 years in prison.

Conall's family said "their lives have been unravelled" by his death.

In a victim impact statement read in court, Conall's sister, Elise Evans, said the family had been left "shattered, heartbroken and consumed by pain that seems impossible to bear" adding the image of identifying his body "haunts her every night".

"Even getting out of bed in the morning feels like an immense struggle," said Ms Evans, adding that she was unable to work for months after her brother's death.

"He wasn't just my brother he was my best friend", with a "joyful, kind hearted soul who lived life to the fullest".

Fighting back tears in the dock Elise Evans said the family had attended the trial for "closure" but that "no punishment will ever undo the damage".

She said that seeing a man her brother was previously friends with in the dock for the first time "made her feel physically sick".

Mr Michael Jones KC, prosecuting, then addressed the court to argue there were aggravating features in the case which should influence the length of sentence.

He said "there is evidence of a significant degree of premeditation" and that the public setting in which it took place as well as the disposing of evidence were also aggravating features.

David Elias KC, defending, said that Davies had at the time been "drinking and taking drugs" and that now he had been in custody for some time "he is a very different person".

He add that there were "elements of provocation" by the victim.

Judge Daniel Williams, who presided over the 10-day trial, said Evans death was a "tragedy" and he would take both sides into consideration in his sentencing remarks.

In passing sentence, he said what started with a "petty argument" escalated when Davies demanded Mr Evans come to his house for a fight.

He "accepted the evidence that Conall Evans was angry" and "was sure that a weapon was taken to the scene by him".

However he rejected the claim that Davies only wanted to threaten Mr Evans with the knife he took from the house.

"I saw you give evidence and I saw no evidence of remorse.

"The responsibility for Conall's tragic death lies with you and only you."

Davies will serve life imprisonment for murder, with a minimum term in custody of 26 years. His three year sentence for possession of a bladed or sharply pointed article will run concurrently.

After the sentencing Det Insp Dai Butt of South Wales Police said: "This case lays bare the devastating consequences of knife crime and those who carry a knife need to remember the impact their actions could have for themselves, for others, for their family and friends, and for the wider community."