William Campbell jailed for life for murdering younger brother after row over dog in Sunderland

A man, who stabbed his younger brother to death during a row about the family dog, has been jailed for a minimum of 21 years.

26-year-old William Campbell, from Stokesley, North Yorkshire, attacked 24-year-old Samuel in a 'drunken rage' after an argument in the garden of the family home in Silksworth, Sunderland.

The pair had been drinking separately, with William having downed the 'lion's share' of 25 vodkas, and clashed over the way Samuel was speaking to the family pet, Marley.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Campbell, who had a history of being violent towards his brother, armed himself with a knife from the kitchen and plunged it into Samuel's chest as their mum tried to stop the fight.

Paramedics tried to save Samuel, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

During a week-long trial, William denied murdering Samuel - claiming his brother impaled himself on the blade during the row. However, a jury found him guilty of murder.The council worker has now been jailed for life and will serve a minimum of 21 years behind bars.

On sentencing, Judge Paul Sloan QC said: "The argument had been over something totally insignificant but in your drunken state you became frustrated and got it into your head you had a score to settle with your brother."He took a sharp knife out of its sheath, followed his brother back outside and ended up stabbing him in the chest in front of their mum with enough force to go through his breast bone and into his heart.

Referring to their mother, the judge said: "She says no words could begin to express the impact your actions have had on both her and the rest of the family but as your mother, she pleads for such leniency as the law will permit."The court heard that Campbell has no previous convictions but a document found on his laptop indicated he had previously been violent toward his brother.

The judge said Campbell's autism had no bearing on what he did but his consumption of alcohol did.

He told him: "You will have to live the rest of your life in the knowledge you murdered him.

"I have no doubt you bitterly regret your actions that night and I take that into account and I note you wish to atone for what you have done."