Jake Hill, 25, stabbed five people in a matter of seconds outside the Eclipse nightclub in Bodmin, Cornwall, with a serrated hunting knife after joining a fight between 15 revellers.
A nightclub reveller who went on a “knife rampage”, murdering one man and injuring four others, has been sentenced to a minimum of 28 years in prison.
Jake Hill, 25, stabbed five people in a matter of seconds outside the Eclipse nightclub in Bodmin, Cornwall, with a serrated hunting knife.
He had joined a fight between 15 revellers outside the club shortly after 3am on 30 April last year, Truro Crown Court was told.
A disturbance broke out between groups of people in the street after the venue closed.
Victims were either stabbed or slashed in the melee by Hill, who had collected the blade from a nearby hedge where he hid it prior to entering the nightclub.
Michael Riddiough-Allen, 32, who was the fifth person to be stabbed, suffered a fatal wound to his abdomen and died at the scene.
Mr Riddiough-Allen, from Liskeard, was an innocent bystander who tried to intervene and disarm Hill, the court heard.
Following a six-week trial, Hill was found guilty of murder and also convicted of four counts of wounding with intent.
He was found not guilty of one count of wounding with intent relating to a sixth person.
Mrs Justice Cutts told Hill the death of Mr Riddiough-Allen and the injuries caused to four others were due to Hill’s decision to carry a knife that night.
She paid tribute to Mr Riddiough-Allen, who had intervened to prevent Hill from injuring others, as a “man of exceptional qualities”.
The judge sentenced Hill to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 28 years for the murder of Mr Riddiough-Allen and four counts of Section 18 wounding with intent.
Chelsea Powell and Tia Taylor, who had been inside the nightclub, had also stood trial alongside Hill, accused of murder.
Powell and Taylor were both found to have lied to frustrate the police in their investigation.
Hill was found hiding in the loft at Taylor’s address following the stabbing.
Taylor, 22, who attacked Mr Riddiough-Allen as he lay injured on the ground, received a three-year prison sentence for manslaughter and perverting the course of justice.
Powell, 23, was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter. She was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and jailed for 15 months.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
