Wrexham: Mark Harley Jones convicted of murdering friend and posting it on Snapchat

A man who stabbed his friend to death and then posted a video of the attack to Snapchat, has been found guilty of murder.

Mark Harley Jones, of Chester Road in Wrexham, denied murdering Kyle Patrick Walley, also from Wrexham in July 2021.

During the trial, the court heard Jones was "knife obsessed", and the attack was "an incident just waiting to happen".

Jones claimed that the victim had tried to "chop" him in the neck first and the fatal blow was delivered after Jones allegedly disarmed him.

John Philpotts KC, prosecuting, told the court how the 20-year-old had been invited to watch the Italy v England Euro final in July 2021.

He said Mr Walley, 19, would never live to see the game kick off that evening after being stabbed through the heart at his home on Eglwysfan in Rhosymedre.

The jury were shown several clips which were taken from the Snapchat story posted by Jones showing him arriving at Mr Walley's flat that afternoon.

Snippets of the video show the men drinking alcohol, but things became heated and a kitchen knife is pulled out.

In one clip, Jones told his followers on the social media app he was going to "chef someone up" with more videos appearing to show a violent and loud argument between the pair.

The view then changes to a lifeless Mr Walley, who had been stabbed in the chest and was being stamped upon and insulted by the defendant, the court heard.

Videos continued to be posted onto Snapchat from Jones' account. The court heard he spoke to the camera and said words to the effect of "man's gonna get loads of time for stabbing him up" as he also filmed his own blood-stained hands.

The court heard that Jones had accepted that his actions led to the death of Mr Walley. However, he maintained that he acted in self-defence when he killed his friend.

Jones, wearing a navy tracksuit, remained emotionless in the dock when the jury returned and delivered a unanimous verdict on Thursday.

Lord Justice Stephen Eyre thanked the men and women of the jury for their service before telling the defendant that a short period of time would be needed before an inevitably lengthy prison sentence would be passed.

"This is an important matter and I want a proper opportunity to reflect on the minimum term the defendant will have to serve," he said when he adjourned for a sentencing hearing which will take place on Friday.