Roofer jailed for murder after pushing taxi driver down stairs
A roofer has been jailed for life at Swansea Crown Court for murdering a romantic rival at the home of their shared girlfriend.
Boyfriend Kevin Syms, 53, pushed his victim down the stairs then battered taxi driver Nicholas Tame, 46, at the house in Pyle, near Bridgend.
A court heard all three went to the home of Joanne Parkhouse Thomas, 42, after a night out at the pub. But roofer Syms flew into a rage outside the bedroom door when she told how she wanted the other man.
Roofer Syms was sentenced to life with an order he should serve at least 14 years.
Parkhouse Thomas was also jailed after lying to police about what happened upstairs at her home.
Syms and Parkhouse Thomas had been "boyfriend and girlfriend" for a year leading up to the attack in December last year.
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The court heard how she had been in the pub with Mr Tame - an old friend from her school days in the hours before the tragedy. The trial jury was told how the pair got a taxi to her house picking up Syms on the way for a "late night drinking session".
Syms went to sleep in his girlfriend's bed only to be woken by Parkhouse Thomas and Mr Tame in the early hours telling him to "get out". Swansea Crown Court heard how he was "well fed up" at being asked to leave and a scuffle broke out on the upstairs landing.
Prosecutor Patrick Harrington QC said: "The two men got into an argument and Syms pushed Mr Tame down the stairs.
"A flailing Mr Tame eventually landed at the bottom of the stairs. He was alive but unconscious."
Roofer Syms then finished off injured Mr Tame with a "vicious blow" to his head leaving him with a deep gash.
Mr Harrington said: "The injuries to the head were dreadful. They were inflicted with a hard object to a man laying helpless at the bottom of the stairs."
Police were not able to find the object which killed Mr Tame but Syms was found with his blood on his shoes and trousers.
Syms admitted pushing Mr Tame into a bedroom door but claims he was in bed when he heard him go "bump, bump, bump" down the stairs.
Syms, of Porthcawl, denied murder but was found guilty following trial.
Parkhouse Thomas admitted perverting the course of justice and was jailed for 18 months.