Stabbed To Death In Lotto Cash Row

A Llandrindod Wells man has been jailed for four years for stabbing a friend to death and dumping his body outside his flat two miles away.

Robert Edwards, 40, of Millview Close, Howey, admitted the manslaughter of Mark Watson, 37, after a night of drinking turned sour.

Before the incident the men and another friend, Adrian Franklin, had been drinking at the Log Cabin and Rumours before going back to Edwards's flat, where they smoked cannabis and listened to music, Cardiff Crown Court was told.

Edwards then accused Watson and Franklin of stealing money and a lottery ticket from his wallet.

A murder charge was reduced to manslaughter, the court was told, because Mr Watson walked onto the knife during a scuffle at the door to Mr Edwards's flat. Edwards admitted manslaughter.

The court heard how Mr Watson had turned aggressive and threatening when challenged by Edwards over the missing money. Edwards, fearing for his safety, went into the kitchen and pulled out an eight-inch long knife and forced Mr Watson out of his house, on the night of the incident, said Leighton Davies, prosecuting. He said Watson began banging on the flat door and shouted "You come at me with a knife again and I will bloody have you, beat you up or kill you."

With the knife and his dog in one hand, Edwards pushed Watson.

Mr Davies said: "Mr Watson lurched towards Edwards and the knife plunged into his stomach."

Edwards claimed he did not know that he had stabbed Mr Watson and he went back into the house.