A burglar was "targeting a stash of drugs" when he was stabbed to death by the owner of the house.
Karl Townsend claimed he was acting in self defence when he knifed Jordan Brophy after he broke into his Halewood home. But a judge has described his defence as "frankly absurd" and that the violence was a result of the drug activity.
Townsend, 32, stabbed his former classmate, Jordan Brophy, 31, in his head, face, and arms after he broke into his home while he was at his mums house. Townsend became aware of the burglary after his Ring doorbell sent a notification to his phone, and he and his 23-year-old half-brother Jamie Cunningham "hurriedly made their way to the scene" armed with knives.
READ MORE: Victim's family cheers as killer who stabbed burglar to death jailed
Mr Brophy suffered "multiple stab wounds" inside the home, some of which "would almost certainly have proved fatal on their own". He was knifed in the outer edge of his left eye, with the weapon severing his right optic nerve and piercing the skull on both sides.
The blade was "wielded with such force" that it snapped, with a portion of the knife remaining lodged in his brain. Mr Brophy was then stabbed again "a number of times" before another blow entered just above the right eyebrow, leaving a further section of the knife behind.
Townsend is then said to have "attempted to run him over in a car", but missed and crashed into a garden wall. The prosecution said the burglar was then pinned against a Fiat 500 and stabbed in the neck three times with the "remnant" of the same knife.
An ultimately fatal blow severed his jugular vein, causing "immediate and catastrophic blood loss". Cunningham, of Penmann Crescent, had previously been on trial accused of possession of a bladed article but later admitted this charge.
He was cleared of murder during an earlier trial, during which the jury failed to reach a verdict regarding the same charge on Townsend. During the retrial a jury of six men and six woman acquitted Townsend of murder after 10 hours and two minutes of deliberations.
However, he was found guilty of manslaughter by a majority of 10 to two. Judge Andrew Menary QC's findings upon sentencing were particularly damning and he not only ruled that class A and B drug dealing was his primary source of income, he also found that Mr Brophy had not been armed with a knife - nor did any of his accomplices have a gun.
Locking him up for 19 years, Judge Menary said: "On that night, soon after you had left and while your partner and child were out the house, Jordan Brophy and three other accomplices broke into your house. This was plainly a targeted attack, a smash and grab where the burglars arrived in convoy, were not concerned about making a noise and did not expect to be in the house for very long.
"They were after your stash of controlled drugs. I’ve no doubt your principal source of income was dealing in class A and B drugs. No other explanation makes any sense.
"I have no doubt you were dealing in a much more significant way than what you admitted and members of your family were fully aware. This was not a home invasion with a terrified occupant.
"What resulted was the sort of violent encounter which so often accompanies this type of activity. You were provoked by Jordan Brophy’s audacious actions, but your response was not justified.
"I have no doubt you were playing the leading role and had encouraged Jamie Cunningham to be armed to support you. Thomas Barnes came with your mother, and he had a knife.
"Another of your brothers also attended with a metal bar. You must have had some discussion that this would be your response."
The judge went on to say his attempt to say Townsend was acting in self defence was "frankly absurd" and that Mr Brophy stood no chance against him.
The court heard: "The verdict of the jury means that they could not be sure that when delivering a fatal blow you intended to kill or cause serious harm. But on any view the level of unlawful violence used by you was truly shocking.
"In a matter of seconds and without any delay after entering the property you stabbed Jordan Brophy multiple times to the head, face and arms. Mr Brophy attempted to protect himself but stood no chance.
"Twice the knife broke off in his skull - leaving parts of the blade embedded in his brain and blinding him in one eye. He tried to flee the scene but was caught again by you in the street where you used the remains of the blade to stab him repeatedly to the neck.
"One of these injuries severed his jugular vein. The notion that you were at any stage acting in reasonable self defence is, frankly, absurd."
The judge continued: "As has been said, Jordan Brophy was no angel. He had a number of serious previous convictions and was under investigation for other matters. But whatever he was doing on the night - he did not deserve to die as he did."
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