A copy-cat killer who knifed a foreign student to death because he “wanted to know what it felt like to stab someone” has today been jailed for life.
Brian Albrighton, 31, scoured the internet for horrific real-life knife murders he wanted to replicate before he fatally stabbed Coventry University undergraduate Adebayo Adeniran.
Adebayo, 32 – known locally as Patrick – was lured to a vacant property in North Avenue, in the Stoke area of Coventry after meeting Albrighton at a local pub on June 6 this year.
When he turned up, Albrighton launched a frenzied attack on Adebayo and stabbed him four times before leaving him to bleed to death in a front garden.
His body was discovered by shocked residents on the morning of June 7 this year. A post mortem revealed he had died from a knife wound to the heart.
The murder has chilling echoes of the death of Indian student Anuj Bidve who was shot and killed on December 26 last year by Kiaran Stapleton. Stapleton had no apparent motive before calmly walking up to Anuj and blasting him in the temple.
Albrighton – who did not say he was copying the murder of Anuj in Manchester – was arrested and initially claimed his victim was carrying the knife and that he’d stabbed him in self-defence having wrestled the blade from his grip.
But he later changed his story and pleaded guilty to murder at Birmingham Crown Court.
Yesterday he was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 22 years.
After the case, Detective Sergeant Harry May, of West Midlands Police, said: “This is one of the most wicked, senseless murder cases I’ve experienced.
“Albrighton had fantasised what it would feel like to kill someone with a knife; he researched the internet, viewing outrageous knife killings, and ultimately carried out his fantasy on an innocent man he stumbled across on a night out.
“Patrick was an overseas student from Africa, he came to England to obtain a better education and seek a better life but his life was tragically cut short.
“Today our thoughts go out to Patrick’s family; I hope they can take some comfort that justice has been done here today and start to rebuild their lives.”
The court heard how Adebayo had been experiencing problems at his rented flat and that Albrighton lured him to the North Avenue property with the promise of a bed for the night.
Albrighton was quickly identified as a prime suspect and was arrested from his home in Walsgrave Road two days after the murder.
Det Sgt May, added: “His defence team said he was prepared to accept that he’d stabbed Mr Adeniran but that the victim had been carrying the knife.
“We refused to accept that and fought to prove Albrighton was the aggressor throughout; a position he was eventually given no option but to accept was true.
“This was a shocking and deeply upsetting case, where a young man’s life was taken in a senseless manner.”
Two women, aged 31 and 27, had also been questioned in connection with Patrick’s death but have since been released from police bail.
