Man jailed over fatal stabbing while on bail

A man who fatally stabbed another man in the chest during a fight while on bail for another knife attack has been jailed for life.

Callum Strachan had attacked Alan Sutton, 41, in Monk Bretton, Barnsley, in September 2024, three months after assaulting and injuring another individual in an alleyway in Grimsby.

Strachan was found guilty of murder at Sheffield Crown Court on 16 February, he was also convicted of other charges including wounding in relation to the incident in Grimsby.

The 23-year-old, of Burton Road, Barnsley, was told he must serve a minimum term of 24 years before being considered for parole at the same court on Friday.

The court heard that CCTV footage had shown a verbal altercation between a group of men including Sutton took place minutes before the stabbing.

The group can be seen shouting at each other in the back garden of a property, with Sutton watching, before moving to the front of the property once it had finished.

Strachan was then seen on a passing car's dashcam footage running at the group while holding a knife, before he stabbed Sutton, who died at the scene.

The defendant then fled and when he was arrested, he claimed it was others who came to attack him and denied any involvement.

In sentencing him, Judge Graham Reeds KC said the murder had happened during a "fast-moving attack" and Strachan had struck out in temper.

Strachan had previously told officers he sometimes "could not stop" when he was angry.

The defendant also suffered from mild depression, but the judge said: "Your anger is a personality trait, not a mental health disorder."

Following sentencing, Sutton's family released a statement, calling him a "devoted parent" and an "amazing partner".

The statement said: "Alan will never get to see his daughter grow up, he will never see any of her milestones, walk her down the aisle when she gets married, or meet her future children.

"Alan will never get to meet his sons' adorable baby, his first grandchild."

Det Ch Insp Ben Wood, of South Yorkshire Police, said: "Strachan thought he could get away with his deplorable actions, fleeing from the scene and stating he was a victim when officers arrested him.

"Clear CCTV and dashcam footage have proven to a jury that he was involved and was the one responsible for taking the life of Alan."

He added: "I hope the results handed out today bring Alan's family some justice they deserve."

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