Bus litter killer's life sentence

The case had been heard twice at the Old Bailey

A man has been given life in prison at the Old Bailey for murdering someone who had told him off for dropping litter.

Martin Gibbs was sentenced for the 1998 killing of Wilbourne Williams who had rebuked him for throwing a bottle out of a bus window.

Gibbs, 52, followed him after he left the 185 bus near Vauxhall Bridge, south London, stabbing him in the chest.

He was convicted in 1999, but a retrial was ordered due to a lack of medical evidence in the original trial.

Gibbs, 52, claimed he had acted with diminished responsibility.

After Mr Williams, 56, criticised Gibbs for throwing the water bottle out of the window, Gibbs became verbally aggressive and threatening.

This was a horrific and mindless act of violence committed in the street in broad daylight Detective Inspector Mark Pleece

To avoid a confrontation, Mr Williams got off the bus at the next stop and crossed Vauxhall Bridge.

Gibbs followed Mr Williams and stabbed him.

Passers by and paramedics treated him, but he later died in hospital.

Gibbs was arrested after being identified by witnesses to the murder.

'Anti-social behaviour'

Gibbs stood trial at the Old Bailey and was convicted of murder in March 1999.

In the original trial, he pleaded not guilty and based his defence on the fact that he was drunk and that he had acted in self-defence as Mr Williams had provoked him.

Detective Inspector Mark Pleece said: "This was a horrific and mindless act of violence committed in the street in broad daylight.

"Mr Williams was a mild-mannered man, a gentle man in every sense of the word.

"His only 'offence' was to challenge the anti-social behaviour of Martin Gibbs."