Two sentenced over Hereford 'revenge attack' murder

Robert Eacock died in hospital after the attack

Two men have been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering a Hereford father in a revenge killing over drugs.

Robert Eacock, 33, died in hospital after suffering a single stab on Commercial Street on 29 January.

Anthony Boyd, 23, of Temple Road, Willenhall, and Artaf Hussain, 32, of Slater Street, Tipton, were sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on Monday.

They will spend a minimum of 25 years behind bars, the judge said.

During the trial, the jury heard how the victim, and the men who murdered him, were all involved in selling drugs in Hereford.

Artaf Hussain and Anthony Boyd were sentenced on Monday at Worcester Crown Court

On 29 January, Boyd had seen Mr Eacock outside a supermarket in Hereford. He then received a phone call from Hussain, 32, bought a knife and, 30 minutes later, stabbed Mr Eacock.

Boyd had admitted manslaughter, but denied murder, and said he stabbed Mr Eacock to humiliate him, not to cause serious harm.

But the prosecution said it was a revenge attack ordered by Hussain.

Mr Eacock's best friends, Matt and Scott Gillespie, said in statement that Mr Eacock's death has had a "devastating effect on many people's lives".

Floral tributes were left at the spot where Mr Eacock was stabbed