Huddersfield pair jailed for life over 'random' murder

Two attackers who stabbed a man to death "at random" before hiding his body among broken furniture in a cellar have been jailed for life.

The detective who investigated the murder of 53-year-old Paul Early in Huddersfield described the violence he suffered as "the worst I have seen".

Mr Early's body was found in the cellar of a body after police were called to investigate a robbery by Kieran Doherty, 19.

Officers attended an address on Bradford Road in Fartown on 19 June to arrest Doherty.

They found Mr Early's body during a search.

Investigations established he had been attacked in the street by Doherty and his accomplice Sanchez Francis, 24, at about 1.30am that day and then dragged into Doherty’s address where the assault continued.

Det Ch Insp Matthew Holdsworth, said: ”Paul was the victim of a horrific assault by these men who committed a final indignity on him by attempting to conceal his body."The level of violence they inflicted on Paul was the worst I have seen in my policing career. [They] used excessive violence to cause significant injuries to Paul before using a bladed weapons to inflict multiple stab wounds on him."The attack on Paul was made all the worse by him clearly being selected by the pair at random. Paul was merely walking around the area when he was spotted by the pair."Francis was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years.

Doherty was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 17 years and six months.

The sentences included two unrelated robbery offences.Det Ch Insp Holdsworth added: "There is no doubt that both of these males are dangerous individuals."

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