Peterborough Father-to-be Murdered In Drugs Dispute

A man has been jailed for life after murdering a young father-to-be with a single stab wound to the heart.

Tyler Smith, 23, launched the attack on 30-year-old Nicholas Bonner (pictured), known to family and friends as Nicky, in Stanground, Peterborough on 5 January.

Police and paramedics were called to a house in Southfields Drive at about 4.30pm where Nicky died of a stab wound to the chest.

The investigation found that in the hours leading up to the murder, Nicky had been with friends at the Southfields Drive property when he spoke on the phone with Smith.

Nicky then left with a friend to buy cigarettes and alcohol from Tesco, in Whittlesey Road.

While on their way back, a silver Vauxhall Astra approached and Smith got out to speak to Nicky. Things became heated and Smith stabbed him.

Smith was driven off by 36-year-old Kristopher White, while Nicky ran back to Southfields Drive where he collapsed.

Shortly after, Smith disposed of the knife in a drain and called a family member asking for a change of clothes and a lift to his partner’s home in Market Deeping.

Smith, of Sandpiper Drive, Peterborough, was arrested in Market Deeping at 4am the following morning.

White, of Myrtle House Caravan Park, Peterborough, was arrested in Peterborough later that day.

Smith denied murder, while White later admitted assisting an offender for driving Smith away from the scene.

After  a six-day trial at Cambridge Crown Court, Smith was found guilty of murder.

He was sentenced at the same court today Thursday (12 August). White will be sentenced at a later date.

Judge Farrell said that he was content Smith had not in fact intended to kill Nicky, but instead had intended to cause him serious harm.

He said: “You did not pursue him and you displayed clear shock when you discovered after the event that he had, in fact, died.”

Judge Farrell sentenced Smith to life in prison, with a minimum of 21 years before he would be eligible for parole.

He said Smith’s age and immaturity were “significant mitigating factors” together with the fact he was suffering with depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) at the time.

He also commended two police staff members from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Major Crime Unit (MCU) - Claire Reed for her “crucial” work in putting together the CCTV and evidence and analyst David Stacey for his work behind the scenes.