Chef jailed for 'revenge' murder

Mr Gayle fled from his attacker but died later

A part-time chef has been jailed for a minimum of 18 years for a "revenge attack" carried out on a man who had robbed him of £30 of crack cocaine.

Drug-dealer Mark Wright, 24, was convicted at Birmingham Crown Court last week of murdering Donovan Gayle.

Mr Gayle died in the doorway of a mosque after being stabbed in a nearby telephone box in Heathfield Road, Lozells, Birmingham, in April.

He was stabbed a number of times in the head and shoulder.

Frenzied attack

The court was told the killing was premeditated and was prompted by Wright being robbed by a number of men during a drugs deal.

Passing sentence on Tuesday, Judge John Saunders QC, the Recorder of Birmingham, described how Wright emerged from his car and launched the frenzied attack after spotting Mr Gayle in the phone box.

He said: "You stabbed him a number of times, you stabbed him in the head, but you also stabbed him in the shoulder area, causing fatal injuries.

"He escaped and made a run for it but in the course of running away he lost so much blood that tragically he died in Finch Road.

"You did all that for £30 worth of crack cocaine."

Wright, formerly of Heathfield Road, was given life and ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years.

The part-time chef was also convicted of wounding another man and possession of an imitation firearm.