Man jailed for 23 years for killing his friend after pub row

A man is starting a 23-year minimum jail term for murdering his friend.

Grant Bradley, 46, from Kidderminster, was convicted of murdering Marcus Dunkerton, 40, after a row at a pub in Charfield on 24 June 2022.

Mr Dunkerton's family said in a statement: "We will never forgive Grant Bradley for what he did."

The jury at Bristol Crown Court heard that Bradley and Mr Dunkerton had spent the evening at the Railway Tavern pub in the village.

Mr Dunkerton was told to leave the pub by the landlady after a drunken row ended with him punching Bradley and pushing Bradley's partner.

Bradley admitted going to Thames Close, where Mr Dunkerton lived with his partner and their young daughter, punching him, and stabbing him in the buttocks, but denied intending to cause serious harm or inflicting the fatal blow.

Mr Dunkerton's partner called police and ambulance crews just before 23:00 BST, but he could not be saved and died just before midnight.

Bradley was arrested on Manor Lane just after 23:30.

A post-mortem examination established that Mr Dunkerton had been stabbed five times and that the cause of death was the severing of his femoral artery.

Bradley was sentenced to life imprisonment with a 23-year minimum term.

Det Insp Neil Meade of the Major Crime Investigation Team said: "We may never know what triggered the dispute between these two friends, but it's clear that alcohol played a significant part in the events leading up to Marcus' death.

"This has been an incredibly difficult time for Marcus' family, and I would like to commend them for their dignity and support."

In the days after Mr Dunkerton's death, his partner, parents and other family members said: "No words will ever be able to express the deep sadness and loss that we feel as a family.

"Marcus was a much-loved son, brother, partner, father, step-father, uncle and son-in-law who was very much loved by us all.

"As a family we are all now sentenced to a lifetime of being without him, there will be so many milestones and special occasions that Marcus will not see or be able to attend.

"These occasions will be a constant reminder that he has been taken from us all.

"He will never walk his daughter down the aisle when she gets married; he will never have the joy of becoming a grandfather.

"There isn't a sentence that will make us feel better or bring Marcus back, but following a two-week harrowing trial, justice was finally served.

"We will never forgive Grant Bradley for what he did."

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