Life for drunken student murder

A student who stabbed his flatmate more than 80 times in a drunken rage has been given a life sentence for murder.

Adam Davies, 20, and Saif Mahmood, 21, had drunk a bottle of tequila and scotch between them before the "frenzied attack" in January 2003.

Davies claimed robbers had broken into their flat in Uxbridge, west London and killed his flatmate.

But he was convicted of murder and given a life sentence on Friday at the Old Bailey, to serve at least 14 years.

He inflicted stab wounds on himself and then spun an elaborate web of lies Detective Inspector Charles King

Judge David Paget told Davies nobody knew why he turned on Mr Mahmood after the two left a party in nearby halls of residence at Brunel University in west London.

He said: "Something must have caused you to make such a frenzied attack on a friend and flatmate."

The court heard the two were friends who would get into heated arguments from time to time.

On the night of Mr Mahmood's death, neighbours were woken by noise from the flat.

One, Leigh Craddock, said Davies was covered in blood and said he had killed his friend.

But later Davies told police he had been held at knifepoint while his flatmate was killed by two masked men.

Outside court Detective Inspector Charles King said a row had led to the attack by Davies.

He added: "He inflicted stab wounds on himself and then spun an elaborate web of lies, telling police that masked men had broken into the flat."