Lee Davies: Justice for family after 'laughing and joking' killers are jailed over murder of dad-of-two

On June 18, 2024, police were called to reports of an altercation at a car park on Drummond Street, right at the heart of Rotherham town centre.

Emergency services were quick to respond and found 38-year-old Lee Peter Davies in a critical condition due to a stab wound.

He was rushed to hospital, but despite medical personnel’s best efforts was pronounced dead shortly after.

Officers trawled through CCTV footage to identify the movements of those involved in the altercation.

Footage revealed a group of people with Lee prior to, and during the incident, who subsequently walked away through Rotherham without showing any regard for Lee’s injuries.

Interviews with eye witnesses, further analysis of CCTV and finally the discovery of a discarded piece of clothing which contained receipts in the name of Simon Welsh, led South Yorkshire Police’s Major Crime Unit to quickly identify those in the group.

Within hours of the incident, both Simon Welsh and Jake Shaw were arrested and questioned.

Both men were found guilty of murder following a three-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court in April this year.

Welsh was also found guilty of Section 18 wounding relating to an incident from November 2023.

Today (June 20), both men appeared before Sheffield Crown Court for sentencing.

Simon Welsh, 37, of Doncaster Road, Rotherham, has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years. He was also sentenced to four years in prison for Section 18 wounding. These sentences will run concurrently.

Jake Shaw, 26, of Canklow Road, has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years.

Detective Chief Inspector Benjamin Wood, the senior investigating officer on this case, said: "This horrendous incident has not only taken Lee's life but also left his two young children without a father.

"Welsh, and Shaw, showed brutality and a lack of remorse, laughing and joking as they made their way away from the scene of this tragic incident.

"Throughout this investigation, we have been committed to securing justice for Lee's family and the quick work of the team, which resulted in the two men being arrested within hours of the incident, hopefully re-affirms this commitment.

Get the best news and analysis from Sheffield’s courts with our new newsletter - subscribe today

"I also want to take this opportunity to recognise the witnesses in this case who provided crucial evidence that has been fundamental in ensuring justice was served. Without people coming forward and sharing information with us, and in this case providing this evidence in a courtroom, we would be unable to bring offenders involved in some of our most serious cases to justice."

Lee’s family have also come forward and thanked the ‘heroic witnesses’ who helped see justice served.

In a statement shared by South Yorkshire Police, they said: “Today we feel that justice has been served and we welcome the guilty verdict placed upon the defendants. Losing our son Lee Peter Davies has taken an enormous toll on our family.

“He will be missed beyond measure, especially by his two young children who now have to grow up and navigate life without a father.

“We would like to thank the jury, the heroic witnesses who came to court and the investigation team for their time and efforts and a special thanks to the prosecution team, the OIC and SIO and our Family Liaison Officer. We now ask that we are afforded the time to grieve for Lee privately."