A killer smirked and winked at his victim's family after he was found guilty by a jury.
Anthony Sladek, 39, was found guilty of the manslaughter of Tony Steel, who was stabbed and killed during a violent argument on September 2 last year. He was also convicted of unlawful wounding.
He was convicted alongside Christopher Donaldson, 45, who was found guilty of murder, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and Lorraine Hargreaves, 52, who was found guilty of common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and theft.
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As he was handed a life imprisonment with a minimum term of 24 years, Donaldson smiled and waved to the public gallery before being led away by a dock officer.
Leeds Crown Court heard on Friday that Mr Steel, 41, was killed during a violent altercation which arose after Hargreaves, of Parkfield View in Ossett, had a disagreement with his friend over the sale of fish.
Prosecutor Robert Stevenson told the court Hargreaves tried to sell salmon to Donald Price at Haggs Hill Farm that he did not want and the pair had an argument. She then returned home and told her then-partner Donaldson she had been assaulted.
Mr Stevenson said: "They both decided to go there [Haggs Hill Farm] and got Anthony Sladek and set off. All three defendants punched and kicked him [Mr Price] to the head and body as part of a joint attack. We say it was a planned and pre-meditated attack."
The victim suffered a fracture to his eye socket and other injuries. During the attack, he dropped his bank card and this was then picked up by Hargreaves. When the witness told the three Mr Price had "had enough" they left and went to two supermarkets where they bought cigarettes and alcohol with the card.
It was said Mr Steel, another man and Mr Price, then went to Hargreaves' home and another violent attack took place.
Recorder of Leeds Judge Guy Kearl KC told the court he was satisfied they went to the flat in Parkfield View "because of the bank card, which had been cancelled by that stage, but they wanted you to know they knew you had stolen and used it and the second reason; it was about masculinity. Donald Price didn't want to back off having received a beating at your hands and feet."
The court heard the three defendants went to the door of the flat - with Donaldson armed with a knife. The judge told them: "Each of you were ready for violence."
It was said Mr Price "went for" Donaldson with a chain that he had either taken to the scene or picked up on his way there. The judge said: "Perhaps left there by Tony Steel".
Donaldson used the knife to "thrust" at the head of Mr Price, with Sladek, of Parkfield View, close by "encouraging him". It was said Mr Steel attempted to stop Donaldson pulling Mr Price into the flat and during the course of that he was stabbed three times - to the back, head and chest.
Mr Steel was pronounced dead a short time after police responded to reports from Yorkshire Ambulance Service that a man had been stabbed. He was found near Haggs Hill Farm.
The court heard a number of victim impact statements from Tony's loved ones including his wife Rachel Knife in which she spoke of his killer's attitudes after the verdicts last week. She said: "There are no words which convey what losing him has done to me. He was a kind, generous, selfless man with a big heart. His family and friends were his everything and he would do anything for anyone.
"He was well-respected and we couldn't go anywhere without him knowing someone."
Ms Knight said the couple had recently returned from holiday and since his death she has been unable to unpack his case. She said on the night of the murder he had been made aware Mr Price had been assaulted and told her he would "go and see how he is".
She said: "He said 'I love you'. It was the last sentence he did and the last time he looked at me and smiled. I thought we had forever, I didn't know the importance of that last moment. The next day he was gone."
Speaking of the verdicts, she said: "Anthony Sladek looked at me and smirked and winked and clicked at the side of his mouth. Christopher Donaldson laughed as he left the dock."
The court also heard statements from Mr Steel's mum and sister, as well as his ex-partner and mother of his two eldest sons. A statement from Mr Price was also read out where he said he was "haunted" by what had happened and said: "I will forever live with the regret of his death. I should never have spoken to him about this and think I should have died instead of him. That part haunts me."
Mitigating for Donaldson, Matthew Harding said his client and Hargreaves also suffered injuries in the fight. He added the prosecution suggested the defendants had taken illegal drugs before, and said: "There is no toxicology to support that." The barrister said the time of planning "must have been a very short period" before the incident where Mr Steel was killed.
John Jones for Sladek said: "I submit he didn't have a leading role." The court heard Sladek was living at Parkfield View due to losing his relationship, employment and accommodation.
Holly Clegg for Hargeaves - who was subject to a suspended sentence order at the time of Mr Steel's killing - said she had suffered a traumatic childhood and adulthood and had issues with her mental and physical health. The court heard Hargreaves has bipolar and adjustment disorder and had previously been diagnosed with throat cancer which has "either returned or got worse."
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Donaldson, also of Parkfield View, was handed a life imprisonment with a minimum term of 24 years, which he will have to serve before going before the Parole Board who will determine if he is safe to release. Sladek was jailed for 11-and-a-half years of which he will have to serve two-thirds before being released. Hargreaves will have to serve half of her three-year sentence behind bars.
Following the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Lee Townley, of West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “Ultimately, Tony Steel has lost his life trying to help a friend. The willingness of these defendants to resort to violence to get their message across shows they are dangerous individuals who deserve to be behind bars.
“This has been a complex investigation as detectives have worked to understand the events that led up to Tony’s untimely death, including the earlier assaults on one of his friends. We hope that the swift justice in this case gives Tony’s friends and family some small comfort as they continue to process their loss.”
Ms Knight added: “There are no words to describe the impact losing Tony has had on us all as a family. Tony was a hard-working family man, who enjoyed life; and on the night of his tragic death, he was doing what he always did, being there for people he loved and cared about. Unfortunately, this cost him his life. Tony was loved by so many people, and this will continue in his absence.
“We as a family would like this to be a warning to everyone in the hope that no other families suffer in the way we have. Knives cost lives.”
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