Jailed: Teenager stabbed footballer to death at house party held to celebrate university offer
A 19-year-old man has been jailed for stabbing a talented young football player to death at a house party in June last year.
Gurveer Bhandal, of Giggety Lane in Wombourne, was sentenced to 13 years in prison at Birmingham Crown Court today for the manslaughter of 20-year-old Ashley Day last June.
The footballer had rented the apartment in Digbeth to celebrate being accepted onto a degree course at university. Over two nights, Tuesday June 27 and Wednesday June 28, he held a party at Bradford Street and invited his friends to help him celebrate.
On the Wednesday a friend of his invited Bhandal to the party. Following noise complaints in the early hours of Thursday June 29, Ashley started to ask people to leave and was stabbed by Bhandal, three times to the chest and in the back as he fell to the floor.
Bhandal ran from the flat and discarded the knife, which was later found in a nearby construction site.
He pleaded his innocence at a trial in November, saying that he stabbed Ashley in self-defence. A jury found him not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter.
At the time of Bhandal's conviction, Ashley’s family issued a tribute to their “loving boy”. They said: “Ashley will be remembered for his joyous smile that always lit up the rooms he entered.
“His kind, caring and compassionate nature was shown through his warm love for his family and friends. Ashley was happiness. His well-mannered, warm aura always made you feel at ease whenever you were around him.
“Farewell, beautiful Ashley, your stars go down to shine upon some further shore and you will be loved forevermore.”
Detective Chief Inspector Laura Harrison from West Midlands Police's homicide team said: “Ashley was a well-liked, bright and popular young man who was very much looking forward to the future.
“He wanted to celebrate achieving his place at university by hosting a party with friends but what should have been a joyous occasion turned to tragedy. This has had a devastating effect on Ashley’s family but they have conducted themselves with respect and dignity throughout.
“Our thoughts remain with them as they continue to come to terms with their loss.”
