Man who left brother to die 'to be found by his mother' jailed

A man has been given a life sentence for murdering his older brother in a "frenzied attack".

Martin Steel, 48, was attacked at a property in Clase, Swansea, in May 2023, with his body discovered by his mother "slumped on a chair" and "covered in blood".

His brother Darren Steel had tried to claim self-defence following a row during the trial at Swansea Crown Court, but this was rejected by the jury.

Steel was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 20 years, with Judge Geraint Walters saying he had attacked his brother in his own home "in a fit of extreme rage" and "left him to die".

The trial heard Martin Steel had been subjected to a "horrific beating" in his home and concerned neighbours had raised the alarm by calling his mother.

Judge Walter said that when Diane Steel arrived she was confronted with the sight of her son "slumped in a chair either dead or soon to die".

Experts found Martin Steel had died from "blunt force trauma to his head, face and neck" and that, based on the evidence, "did not die immediately after suffering his injuries, but would have survived them a few hours before death".

The judge said Darren Steel had done "absolutely nothing that might have been capable of saving his life", including not calling emergency services, neighbours or their mother.

Darren Steel claimed he had acted in self-defence and that his brother had attacked him first.

Judge Walters said that although he could not be sure of that, the attack was "vicious, sustained and seriously out of proportion of any proportion of any violence he offered you".

The judge added it was because he "had a perception that day that someone had stolen your drugs".

A statement read on behalf of Diane Steel, the pair's mother, said she had been "expecting to spend the afternoon shopping with my son and I had no idea my world was about to come crashing down".

"Every night I see Martin slumped in his chair, beaten to a pulp and covered in blood," the statement added.

"Part of me died with Martin that day."

On sentencing, Judge Walters said: "What you did to Martin Steel has caused irreparable grief to those who plainly loved him - a doting mother, children, grandchildren and other family members."

He described Darren Steel as a "career criminal" with an addiction to class A drugs from a young age, saying he was "punch happy" and had a "very real propensity to use violence that is indiscriminate".

Det Insp Stuart Prendiville said the case was a "long and complex investigation", adding that that Darren Steel had "committed the ultimate betrayal against his older brother".

"Darren Steel is a violent and dangerous individual and the life sentence and minimum tariff of 20 years is wholly justified in this case," he said.