The slasher and scowling killer near first decade behind bars for murder of popular Sheffield man Craig Wild
A murderous “slasher” couple responsible for inflicting more than 100 injuries in a fatal attack on a popular Sheffield man are now nearing their first decade behind bars.
47-year-old Craig Wild, described as ‘popular’, the ‘life and soul of the party’ and a person who made people‘ laugh out loud,’ was murdered inside the flat of Alison Moss on Fox Walk in the Sheffield suburb of Walkley.
Moss carried out the attack on Mr Wild with her then partner David Webster on August 25, 2016. Wild and Moss were charged with Mr Wild’s murder two days later, and have been in custody ever since.
Mr Wild gave Moss the nickname ‘the slasher’ after she attacked him on a previous occasion.
Murderous Moss and Webster inflicted a total of 117 wounds upon Mr Wild, as they kicked and stabbed him to death using weapons including a black handled kitchen knife, a wooden-handled kitchen knife and a screwdriver.
Moss and Webster had been drinking and taking drugs on the day of the murder at Moss’ home on Fox Walk. Mr Wild had called at the property and an argument later broke out, which escalated into horrific violence.
An extract from Moss’ interview with police, read out in court, said: "David said to Craig I hope that’s a knife in your pocket. There’s something you need to know about me. I’m like Zorro, I’ll kill you with your own knife’."
Moss, then aged 46 and of Walkley, sought to deny involvement in the murder, claiming that she was present during the attack but sat on a sofa with her hands covering her eyes as Webster carried out the brutal attack.
During her Sheffield Crown Court trial, forensics experts claimed Moss’ account could not have been possible, suggesting instead that the evidence pointed to Moss kicking Mr Wild as he was injured and bleeding.
Jurors also rejected Moss’ account when they found her guilty of Mr Wild’s murder. Wester, then aged 49 and of Hillsborough, pleaded guilty to the same offence, prior to the beginning of Moss’ trial.
In a March 2017 sentencing hearing at the same court, Moss and Webster were both jailed for life, with Moss’ minimum term fixed at 29 years, while Webster’s was fixed at 24.
Mr Justice David Holgate told the pair: "Mr Wild suffered the most brutal, savage and sustained attack that resulted in his death.
"He suffered a high degree of mental and physical pain for a significant period of time before his death.
“He was heard by a neighbour pleading forhis life."
Moss and Webster have now served nearly 10 years of their minimum term behind bars, including their time on remand.
Moss also received a 10-year concurrent sentence after pleaded guilty to a separate offence of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm for slashing a 17-year-old boy with a cut-throat razor in January 2016.
The court heard how, after inviting her victim, along with a 16-year-old girl, back to her flat, she shouted ‘you need to cut for the devil, I am the devil’ and ‘you move, you die’.
She subsequently began spitting at the victim before she launched the frenzied attack.
Speaking after Moss and Webster were jailed, Detective Chief Inspector Dave Stopford, of South Yorkshire Police, said Webster was a “dangerous man” who had “shown absolutely no remorse for his actions” and had “appeared proud” of his actions.
Moss denied any involvement but the forensic evidence found on shoes and clothing proved that she had participated in the “brutal murder,” the detective said.
DCI Stopford added: “They are both extremely violent individuals who have murdered a defenceless man without any provocation. Mr Wild was a well-known and popular person in the community.”