Osbourne - who was dressed as a ninja - stabbed his victim four times in the face and once in the chest

It is now over 23 years since a Sheffield “martial arts fanatic” ambushed a milkman at a pedestrian crossing and brutally stabbed him to death.

Jamie Lee Osbourne was aged just 18 when he plunged an 11-and-a-half-inch Samurai-style dagger into the face and chest of Ronnie Kettridge, 56, on Prince of Wales Road in an "an act of horrendous savagery" on April 5, 2003.

Father of two Ronnie was driving to work at the Co-op Dairy in Norton from his home in Barnsley when the sick attack unfolded | SYP

placeholder image — Father of two Ronnie was driving to work at the Co-op Dairy in Norton from his home in Barnsley when the sick attack unfolded | SYP

Osborne, who admitted the murder, was jailed for a minimum of 22 years at Sheffield Crown Court the following December - later reduced to 20 years.

The parole board released him in 2024, having served the term, a spokesperson has confirmed.

Osborne’s 17-year-old girlfriend Adele Silkstone pushed the button at the Manor road crossing on the day of the murder. The then teenager, of Vikinglea Close, Sheffield, was detained for eight years after being found guilty of manslaughter.

Back in 2003 the court heard as the lights turned red and Ronnie brought his car to a stop and Osbourne - who was dressed as a ninja - jumped into the milkman’s car and stabbed him four times in the face and once in the chest.

Jamie Lee Osborne was released from prison in 2024 | Jamie Lee Osborne

He then threw Ronnie out of the car - stealing whatever was to-hand inside - and left him bleeding to death on the road before driving off with Silkstone by his side.

The father of two, who had been married to his wife Pauline for just five weeks, was driving to work at the Co-op Dairy in Norton from his home in Barnsley when the sick attack unfolded.

Jailing the pair, Mr Justice Nelson said "words seem feeble instruments” to describe the horror of the events, adding their recollection "chills the blood".

On the day of the awful killing, Ronnie had been driving to work along Prince of Wales Road as Osborne, then of Abbeydale Road, lay in wait behind a bus stop.

Sheffield jurors at her trial heard Silkstone, 16 at the time, was intent on stealing a car and operated the stop light for Osborne.

After the savage slaying the teen pair went on the run however they were arrested two weeks later in Leeds.

Osborne’s girlfriend Adele Silkstone was 16 at the time of the killing | SYP

Looking back on the events of April 5, 2003, Ronnie’s widow Pauline said the couple - who had only known each other for three years - had planned a trip to Skegness later the same day after he had finished his shift, so he started work early.

She said: “A little later I got a phone call. It was the dairy saying he hadn't arrived. I asked them if they were sure he hadn't parked his car up and taken his float because he would sometimes do that and they agreed to check.

“I rang him twice. When he didn't answer the first time I assumed he must be busy. He would always answer the second time but he didn't and I started to worry so I rang the police."

Pauline called the police twice and a mechanic friend of Ronnie’s to ask whether he had broken down on his way to work and then became "more and more anxious" when the dairy called back saying her husband had not arrived.

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She said: "I knew something was not right. I was trying to hold my act together while telling the police on the phone that there was something wrong, and then the highways police were at my door.

"I was trembling. They said they had found a body and that they thought it was my husband.

"I remember saying ‘be careful, he's had a bloody heart attack, hasn't he?' but they couldn't say. The next thing I knew the murder squad were on their way."