A cold-hearted killer who murdered his sleeping boyfriend in a jealous rage then walked away listening to music "as if he didn't have a care in the world" has been jailed for life.
Cruel and callous Aaron Ray knifed student Jason Brockbanks in his bed before gathering his belongings, washing blood from the murder weapon, putting his headphones on and calmly walking away from the scene, leaving his 24-year-old victim to slowly bleed to death.
Ray, 21, who has previous for cutting the throat and killing his family's pet cockatiel, was convicted of murder earlier this week and has now been told he must serve a minimum of 22 years of a life sentence behind bars before he has any chance of parole. As he was locked up at Newcastle Crown Court, Jason's heartbroken dad, Christopher, bravely went into the witness box to outline the impact his son's death has had and how the manner of it haunts the family.
Read more: Moment cold killer callously leaves student boyfriend to die after knifing him in jealous rage
Mr Brockbanks said: “For 24 years we had the privilege of being Jason’s parents. He was a loving and gentle soul who shied away from confrontation and hated violence. He was a talented young man who had so many dreams to realise. We will miss his laughter, infection smile and his love.
“There is a void in our lives that can never be filled and the pain we feel will never leave us. Our lives will never be the same and and not a day goes by when we don’t feel Jason’s loss. We have had so many difficult and tearful days and we know there are so many more to come.
“We miss Jason so very much. We are devastated and heartbroken that Jason was cruelly and senselessly taken from us. We will never be able to accept the manner of his death or be able to forgive the defendant, who has not shown an ounce of remorse through this trial.
“Instead our family had to relive every moment of Jason’s brutal murder and listen to the defendant’s lies. We know he died slowly and this will haunt us for the rest of our lives. And to hear his death was possibly avoidable if assistance had been sought is truly heartbreaking for us.
“We believe Jason spent his last moments looking for his mobile phone to call for help but he was unable to find it due to the defendant having been the last person to use it.
“We will never comprehend how a human being could walk away from Jason lying injured in his room in such a cruel and callous manner. We will never forgive or forget the manner of Jason’s death.”
Ray had enjoyed a night out with victim, Northumbria University student Jason Brockbanks, in the hours before the fatal attack last September and there was no sign of trouble until they were on their way back to Jason's flat at Mansion Tyne, on Howard Street, on the outskirts of Newcastle city centre.
Footage outside the student accommodation shows Ray kick Jason in the leg as he sits on a low wall before the pair enter the building. Once inside, Ray took Jason's phone into the bathroom and recorded himself scrolling through messages between Jason and other men on the dating app Grindr. Moments later, he stabbed Jason before callously leaving him to die and he wasn't found for three days.
Referring to what happened after the couple returned from a night out in Newcastle’s pink triangle, Mr Justice Martin Spencer said: “I have no doubt Jason fell asleep, he was under the duvet. Within seconds you are in the bathroom on his phone and videoing yourself scrolling through his Grindr messages.
“I’ve no doubt you became enraged. I find you went to the kitchen and took a large sharp knife and you then returned to Jason’s room.”
The judge said Jason was lying with his back exposed and the rest of his body covered by the duvet. He adds: “You slashed him with the knife on his back then stabbed him in an overarm, downward motion through the duvet into his flank to a depth of 10cm.”
“You were acting in a drunken rage but you knew exactly what you were doing and you intended to cause him at least really serious harm. I have no doubt you intended, at that moment to kill him.
“On previous occasions you had uttered death threats when in a jealous rage and on this occasion you had the opportunity to carry them out.
“When he was attacked he was asleep, under the duvet, and in no position to defend himself against your attack.”
The judge said Ray then got his things together, put his headphones around his neck, washed Jason’s blood off the knife and returned it to the communal kitchen before leaving the flats. He added: “CCTV shows you with your headphones on listening to music as if you didn’t have a care in the world. Jason’s father can’t comprehend how a human could walk away in such a cruel and callous manner and I agree.
“When that footage was played it was too much for his poor father, who broke down weeping and what father or mother could fail to understand that emotion.”
The judge said Jason fell onto the floor and the duvet fell onto his phone, which is why he couldn’t find it to call for help. He ended up falling into his shower cubicle and bled to death.
After the murder, Ray, of Mayfield Road, Sunderland, did a Google search for “can schizophrenics be murderers”, which the judge said was a clear indication he knew he had killed him. Mr Justice Spencer told Ray: “You are not a schizophrenic but you are a murderer.”
He added: “You are deceitful, dishonest and when drunk, highly dangerous. Any regret you have expressed for Jason’’s death has been false and motivated only by your self-interest. There has been no shadow of remorse.”
Turning to Jason’s family in the public gallery, the judge said the way they conducted themselves and the fortitude they showed “commands the respect and admiration of all in this court”. He added: “You have my sympathy and that of all in this court for his tragic, untimely death.”
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