Life for bully who bragged ‘this is my estate’ after fatal knife attack

A cocaine-fuelled bully who boasted “this is my estate, I run it” after he fatally stabbed a man in the street has been jailed for life.

Tyrone Patrick, 33, attacked Mike Grimshaw, 34, who stepped outside his home in Sale, Greater Manchester, to defend his fiancee, who had been on the end of a volley of verbal abuse from Patrick.

Mr Grimshaw’s fiancee, Michelle Pook, 38, had earlier told Patrick to stay away from a vulnerable man he was pestering for a cigarette in Royton Avenue.

After an exchange of words, engineer Mr Grimshaw was beckoned into the road by Patrick, who without warning plunged a knife into his victim’s neck.

Patrick, whose uncle lived nearby, then ran away from the scene on the late evening of July 20 2017 and evaded arrest for weeks, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Sentencing Patrick, Mr Justice Andrew Baker told him: “You had a serious, destructive cocaine habit and you drank to excess, mostly vodka but also other spirits.

“Just after 11pm on 20 July, your cocaine and alcohol habit led to the loss of one life and to devastating consequences for the lives of several others.

“When in drink, or high on cocaine, or both, you were obnoxious, cocky, bullying, intimidating.

“Whether or not you would think or say this sober, pumped up on drugs and alcohol as you were, you thought yourself a lord of the local manor.

“The person who stabbed Mr Grimshaw was heard saying ‘This is what happens. this is my estate. I run it’.”

Patrick must serve a minimum of 28 years in custody before he can be considered for release after a jury convicted him of murdering Mr Grimshaw.

The defendant, of Haydock Close, Stretford, has already spent 15 months in jail on remand.

Following sentencing, Greater Manchester Police senior investigating officer Bob Tonge said: “This was an absolutely needless crime which has stripped a young girl of her father and left his family heartbroken.

“Mike was clearly loved very much by his family and all who were around him but due to Patrick’s incomprehensible actions their lives have been turned upside down.

Paying tribute, Mr Grimshaw’s family said: “Mike, affectionately known as Grimmy to his friends, was much loved by all his family and friends and had much life ahead of him.

“He was taken from us in July last year in completely unnecessary circumstances. We cannot express how devastated we are that his life has been stolen from him.

“We miss Mike every minute of every day.

“Today, his killer has been sentenced and justice has been served. We can try to repair our heartache although no matter how long the sentence is it will not bring Mike back or make our loss any easier.

“We need to attempt to move on and hopefully today will now provide closure for our pain over the last 18 months. However, we will never forget Mike or the memories he has given us.

“We would like to thank everyone who has supported us over the past few months.”