Pair jailed for murder of Harrison Tomkins in bed
A "coercive and controlling" man who stabbed his ex-girlfriend’s new lover to death in her bed, and his friend who encouraged the attack, have been jailed.
Kaydon Prior (23) and Jason Curtis (22) were sentenced at Brighton Crown Court and told they will serve a minimum jail terms of 28 years and 22 years respectively for the murder of Harrison Tomkins.
Mr Tomkins was stabbed multiple times by Prior, after Prior and Cutis stormed Prior’s ex-girlfriend Alicia Parrin's flat on 13 August, 2023, after hearing she was with another man.
In February, Prior, of Hazelwick Avenue, Crawley, and Curtis, of Lairdale Close, Lambeth, were found guilty of the murder of Mr Tomkins.
Prior and Curtis were also both found guilty of possession of an offensive weapon, and Prior was found guilty of assault by beating of Ms Parrin.
The trial heard the pair were on a night out for Curtis’ birthday in Chelsea, London, before they travelled to Ms Parrin’s address in Arthur Road, Ifield, West Sussex, in the early hours of the morning.
Prior then leapt onto Mr Tomkins and stabbed him 10 times in the chest, legs and back with a hunting knife, as he lay in bed.
Sentencing the pair Judge Jeremy Gold said Curtis "played a full part" in the lead-up to this "dreadful crime" by assisting Prior.
"This was a carefully planned and executed killing of a young man who neither of you knew or had any sensible reason to want to hurt, let alone kill," the judge said.
He described Prior's behaviour towards Ms Parrin as "increasingly coercive and controlling".
Giving a victim impact statement in court, Ms Parrin said: "As soon as I close my eyes I see [Prior] coming into my room and doing the unthinkable again.
“I will never be able to leave behind the fear he instilled in me."
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