Wolverhampton Thai boxer jailed for killing former soldier who was stabbed in the throat

Troy Ktori, from Wolverhampton, delivered the fatal blow to 55-year-old Charles McInally in a cocaine and alcohol fuelled attack last August.

Mr Justice Neil Garnham called the martial arts expert 'a dangerous man' with a violent temper made worse by drink and drugs.

Birmingham Crown Court heard that Ktori, aged 27, originally from Heath Town, met Mr McInally after a day drinking with girlfriend Crystal Jeffries and their mutual friend Matthew Roper in the Seven Stars pub in Edgbaston.

After a game of pool with Mr McInally and his flatmate Carl Martin they all went back to the victim's Brewers Square home to continue the party, where cocaine, obtained by Ktori, and more alcohol was consumed.

The mood soon soured and Ktori punched Mr Martin in the mouth before leaving for home alone.

When Jeffries and Roper joined him some time later, he flew into a further fury on hearing that Mr Martin had insulted his girlfriend.

Ktori walked back to the house in a rage and when Mr Martin opened the door, lunged at him with a knife pulled from the waistband of his jeans.

Mr Martin fled through the house, chased by Ktori and it was in the living room that he came across Mr McInally and stabbed him in the neck as the latter stumbled towards him.

The judge said that Mr McInally had not been armed and was 'substantially intoxicated' being four times over the drink drive limit and hardly able to stand when he was attacked.

He said Ktori acted in a 'cowardly and appalling' fashion by then fleeing the scene leaving Mr McInally to die.

Ktori went on the run for six days with Jeffries and Roper, taking refuge first at a friend's house and then buying camping equipment and hiding out in the Malvern Hills before all three handed themselves in to the police.

Judge Garnham told him: "It is perfectly plain you have a temper and a temper made worse by drink and drugs, both of which you abuse regularly, and you admit as much.

"Your behaviour on this occasion demonstrates that when irritated by the behaviour of others you resort to violence and yours a slow-burn fury.

"You didn't act in a red mist, instead you acted in a cold, calm, determined manner, inflicting violence on those you took against.

"You are a dangerous man."

Ktori, now of Shenstone Road, Edgbaston, a world champion Thai boxer at the age of 12, was cleared of murdering Mr McInally, but convicted of his manslaughter.

He was also cleared of wounding Mr Martin with intent.

He was jailed for 12 years and told he will have to serve at least two thirds in custody, with an extension period of five years at the end of that term.

Roper, 24, also of Shenstone Road, was sentenced to 20 months after pleading guilty to assisting and offender. Jeffries, 30, also of that address, was given a suspended 20-month prison sentence for the same offence. It was suspended for two years.

The judge said that they both acted out of a 'misguided sense of loyalty' to Ktori and delayed the apprehension of a man who had committed manslaughter.

In a statement to the court, the victim's brother Paul McInally and 82-year-old mother Sarah spoke of their loss.

Mr Justice Garnham said that Mr McInally had served his country for eight years in the Royal Signals and had held down a good job as a railway engineer after leaving active service before his marriage broke down and his life 'went awry' and alcohol became an issue.

He said: "He may have had his faults, but there was another far more positive side to his character. His death at your hands was a tragedy for him and his family."

During the trial jurors had heard that Mr Martin said Ktori lunged at him with a knife pulled from his trousers. After deflecting it with his hand, Mr Martin claimed he fled through the house, chased by Ktori.

It was alleged that Ktori then knifed Mr McInally through the throat before fleeing the scene, knife in hand.

However, the defence had said that Ktori stabbed Mr McInally by accident, meaning to push him but forgetting he had the 9in kitchen knife in his hand.

Ktori had claimed he was trying to avoid being attacked when Mr McInally was fatally wounded and claimed he was unarmed when he returned to the Edgbaston house for a showdown with Mr Martin.

When Mr Martin opened the door, he was carrying a knife, claimed Ktori.

The jury was also shown a television interview with Ktori from June 2013 in which he spoke of turning his life around after an assault conviction. Taking part in an entrepreneur scheme in the Heath Town area, Ktori had said of his time in prison: "It was the hardest time in my life, I never want to go back.

"I was in Wales and some geezer threw beer in my face and I assaulted him, I retaliated."

Sgt Ian Wilkins said: "Mr McInally was unfortunate to have a chance encounter with the three defendants on that afternoon, and just hours later he was dead.

"A post mortem showed he died from a single stab wound to the neck. There were no injuries consistent with him trying to defend himself against the knife.

"Ktori spent the weekend at a friend's house before catching a taxi with Jeffries and Roper to remote countryside in Bromsgrove. They bought camping equipment and other provisions, evading capture for several days prior to their arrest.

"Despite the evidence against him the jury found him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter and the unlawful killing of Charles McInally.

"Mr McInally's family would like to say that they are understandably devastated by the untimely death of their son and brother. Although disappointed by the verdict of the court they now have a degree of closure."