Shocking moment knife-wielding thugs chase dad down just before stabbing him to death
THIS is the shocking moment knife-wielding thugs hunt down a dad before stabbing him to death.
CCTV shows balaclava-clad Benjamin Bibby, 21, and Andrew Wilcock, 29, sprinting down dimly lit alleys pursuing victim Lee Dawson.
Catching up with the 42-year-old dad they delivered fatal stab wounds – one of which plunged 16cm into his chest.
Lee had initially tried to face off against his two killers and another attacker, Robert Cross, 34, after they lay in wait for him just before 3am on June 17 last year.
But after the three men raced after Lee, he tripped and fell, allowing Bibby and Wilcock to carry out the horrific slaying.
Both received minimum life sentences of 24 years following a three-week trial at Preston Crown Court.
Following the sentencing, Lee’s mum, Christine Dawson, said the jail time wouldn’t replace the “heartache” of his loss.
She said: “No sentence imposed will bring back a much-loved son, brother, father and friend or reflect the heartache and pain these people have inflicted on our family.
“A mother should not have to witness her son die. Lee had so much to live for and these people have taken that away.”
Lee was mercilessly killed after returning to his home town of Preston, Lancs., from Sunderland for a funeral.
He was with family the day before and then attended a house party on Driscoll Street at around 2am, where he punched Bibby in the face following an argument.
Bibby and Wilcock then left the home before returning to confront Lee with knives while wearing face coverings.
But after cops arrived at the address, they waited for Lee in a different location, coming across him and his friend on East Street at 2.47am.
During the confrontation, Lee removed his top and wrapped it around his arm.
Both Bibby and Wilcock swung knives in Lee’s direction.
It was then that Robert Cross came on the scene having run along East Street, with Kerry-Ann Metcalf walking behind him.
Lee was chased along said street by Bibby and Cross, followed by Wilcock – running 85 metres to Jutland Street before tripping.
The killers pounced as he hit the floor and stabbed him several times – the fatal wound plunged 16cm into his chest.
Lee managed to get up momentarily but was found on the pavement with serious injuries and pronounced dead at 4.05am.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Haworth-Oates, of Lancashire Police’s Force Major Investigation Team, said after the sentence the killers had shown “senseless violence”.
He added: “Bibby and Wilcock could have walked away from their argument with Mr Dawson at any time.
“But instead they went to collect knives, put on face coverings and lay in wait from him to come past before attacking him.
“All of those involved left Mr Dawson on the pavement to die – something that his family have had to watch play out during the trial as they try to come to terms with his loss.”