Video shows moment murder victim runs away from scene before collapsing in alleyway

Murder victim Gregory Marshall was also stabbed in the chest following the altercation in York on August 17 last year, following a disagreement over a £1,000 debt.

Mr Marshall and a second man, Jason Daniel Rhodes, attended the home of Ian James Franklin in the early hours of August 17 to buy drugs, despite Franklin and his partner owing around £1,000 to Rhodes, which had been outstanding for almost a year.

Rhodes, 33, arrived at the scene with a multi-tool with an axe head in his pocket and an altercation between the men broke out.

Mr Marshall and Rhodes left the scene before returning a short time later when another fight broke out.

Franklin, 35, and his partner confronted Rhodes and Mr Marshall went over to help, but it was then he was stabbed in the neck and chest by Franklin.

A trial at Leeds Crown Court was told Mr Marshall ran from the scene, followed by Rhodes, while Franklin and his partner chased the men. This time, Franklin stabbed Rhodes in the shoulder.

Mr Marshall then realised he had been stabbed, and told Rhodes he needed an ambulance. He collapsed in a nearby alleyway and was pronounced dead at hospital.

Franklin, of Roche Avenue, York, denied murder and claimed he acted in self-defence, but was convicted after an eight-week trial and sentenced to life with a minimum of 21 years on Monday (Apr 14).

Rhodes, of Union Terrace, York, was found not guilty of being in possession of an offensive weapon following a trial. He had pleaded guilty to being in possession of an offensive weapon at an earlier hearing and sentenced to 55 weeks in prison.

In a victim impact statement that was read in court, Mr Mashall’s wife said: “Greg was very thoughtful and caring, very loving and funny. He had the loudest voice but the most infectious of laughs. He would just smile.”

“Greg was the sort of person that if you met him once, you wouldn’t be a friend just for the weekend, it would be the rest of your life.”

She described how she: “wouldn’t change him for the world as he wouldn’t be Greg then.” She was always so proud of him she said.

She continued: “Since my husband has passed, it has ripped the family apart. There is no security anymore, no feeling safe. I feel empty, lost, I feel like I have been robbed.”

“He was my partner, he was my friend, he was my husband and soulmate. I adored him, I would do anything for him. He would do the same for me.”

In a further statement that was read in court, his mother said: “Greg was a very supportive son and a family man. He had a kind heart and would help anybody when they needed it. He had a lot of goals in life which he achieved, and we were very proud of him.”

Addressing Franklin directly she said: “Ian Franklin the sentence you are given today means nothing to us as a family. We as a family have the rest of our lives to live with the devastation and trauma from when you took it upon yourself to murder my son Greg Marshall.”

Lead investigator, Detective Sergeant Rebecca Prentice from North Yorkshire Police’s Major Investigation Team, said: "This has been a very complex investigation, with many challenges in understanding the motives and circumstances that led to Mr Marshall’s tragic death.

“Justice has been served with today's verdict and our thoughts remain with Mr Marshall’s family and loved ones. This was a brutal and senseless crime, and I hope the outcome provides some measure of closer closure for those affected.

“Keeping the streets of North Yorkshire and the City of York safe and free from violence is our absolute priority. We are committed to ensuring those who pose a danger to our communities are brought to justice, and this case demonstrates our determination to do exactly that.”