A PAIR of murderers who stabbed a 'caring' dad-of-three to death outside his home have been jailed for life.

The 'dangerous and violent' killers stared straight ahead and showed no emotion as they were told they would serve at least 19 years in jail for the murder of Darren MacCormick.

Sentencing, Judge Ian Pringle QC went on to slam the 'scourge' of knife crime which he said had led to a 'desperate and unceasing waste of human life.'

In an emotional tribute the family of the slain 44-year-old said that their lives had forever changed and 'the grief is overwhelming.'

Brookton Lagan, 19, of Robin Way, Didcot, and Taison Cyrille, 19, of Market End Way, Bicester, had denied murder and went to trial at Oxford Crown Court.

Last week they were convicted of the killing and also found guilty of two counts of wounding with intent upon two men and Cyrille of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, which Lagan had already admitted.

Oxford Mail:

During the trial the jury heard that the murder took place in the early hours of January 9 this year outside an address in Mendip Heights, Didcot, where Mr MacCormick, known as 'Dizzy,' had been living.

Prosecutors said that he had been a 'recreational' drug user, with cannabis and crack cocaine the preferred drug of choice.

It was said that the triple stabbing could be traced to an earlier row and an ensuing 'drugs debt' between Lagan and a friend of Mr MacCormick's.

This was described to the jury as a 'trivial' and 'relatively minor disagreement' between the two sides.

Oxford Mail:

During the attack that followed the violence was described as happening very quickly and afterwards the men were said to have driven off after discarding knives – three of which the police later seized.

One of the two other victims of the brawl was stabbed in the head and another man received a stab wound to the leg.

Mr MacCormick, the jury was told, received a number of injuries to his arms and his right hand, as well as 'defensive injuries.'

The fatal injury was a stab wound to the chest, which was described as 10cm deep and which caused damage to his heart.

He was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford but at 4.56am he was declared dead.

At the sentencing hearing today, Judge Ian Pringle QC blasted what he called the 'scourge' of knife crime that had plagued the country over the last 20 years.

He said that the 'national epidemic' of carrying knives had led to a 'desperate and unceasing waste of human life.'

In mitigation both defence barristers said their client's had been young at the time of the fatal stabbing.

It was also said that the efforts to discard the weapons were 'amateurish in the extreme.'

Both men were jailed for life, with a minimum sentence to be served of 19 years for each of them.

Speaking after the sentencing senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Blaik, of the Major Crime Unit, praised the victim's family.

He said: “I hope that following the life sentences of Brookton Lagan and Taison Cyrille, the family and close friends of Darren MacCormick can now begin to move on from this terrible ordeal that has spanned almost twelve months.

“They bravely sat through eight weeks of court proceedings, and had to endure reliving in detail the circumstances of Mr MacCormick’s death, as well as having to patiently wait for this case to get to crown court during the current global pandemic.

“No conviction or sentence that was passed down in court can ultimately heal the pain of losing a loved one in such needless circumstances, but I do hope that now the case has concluded it can provide the family with some consolation that proceedings are now over and they can begin to slowly move on.

“Brookton Lagan and Tyson Cyrille are clearly very dangerous and violent men, who murdered Darren MacCormick completely unnecessarily on January 9 this year. Following this, they tried to flee the country by flying to Amsterdam.

“Thankfully, quick work from our officers meant that they were apprehended at Luton Airport on January 11, and charged 24 hours later.

“Following the sentences passed down today, they will no longer be able to pose a threat to our communities.

“This case has demonstrated the tragic consequences that can arise from carrying knives. Serious violence and knife crime causes pain and misery, and the Thames Valley VRU is dedicated in its mission to tackle it via prevention, intervention and enforcement.

“As a police force we always urge anybody who has any information regarding individuals carrying or using weapons, to report this to Thames Valley Police.

“We are absolutely committed to ensuring the cities, towns and villages in the areas we police are safe places to live, work and socialise.”