Teenager Jailed for Life after Murdering Father-of-Two on Christmas Day
A tragic incident unfolded on Christmas Day when Kersharn Dockeray-Barnett, then 17 years old, took the life of Reece Connor, a 29-year-old father of two, in Nottingham. The fatal encounter occurred near Crown Island, where Dockeray-Barnett stabbed Connor in the chest with a knife. Following a jury’s ruling, Dockeray-Barnett, now 18, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 19 years at Nottingham Crown Court.
Heartbreaking Impact on the Victim’s Family
During the court proceedings, Connor’s partner, Courtney Newton, shared a poignant victim impact statement, expressing the profound loss felt by her and her children. She tearfully recounted how Christmas would never be the same without Connor’s laughter and companionship. Newton described the devastating aftermath, now shouldering the responsibility of raising their children alone, emotionally and financially.
- Dockeray-Barnett sentenced to life in prison for murder
- Stabbed Reece Connor in the chest with a knife on Christmas Day
- Victim’s partner struggles emotionally and financially
- Dockeray-Barnett claimed self-defense, which the jury rejected
- Family left shattered by the tragic loss
Courtroom Drama Unfolds
During sentencing, Dockeray-Barnett, adorned in a light blue tracksuit, stood as the judge delivered the life imprisonment verdict. In a poignant moment, he blew a kiss to his family in the gallery. The court learned of Dockeray-Barnett’s assertion of self-defense, a claim dismissed by the jury, painting a grim picture of events that led to Connor’s untimely demise.
“It is a fair inference that on that night, Kersharn Dockeray-Barnett was angry following events in the underpass and he sought revenge,”
prosecutor John Lloyd-Jones KC remarked. Judge Nirmal Shant KC condemned Dockeray-Barnett for his actions, noting the irreplaceable loss suffered by Connor’s two young boys and his grieving partner. The judge emphasized the cruelty of the timing, with the devastating news of Connor’s death delivered on what should have been a joyous Boxing Day reunion for the family.