Sheffield killer Ben Jones sentenced to life in prison over murder of Jordan Marples-Douglas
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A Sheffield Crown Court trial has heard how Ben Jones, aged 26, formerly of Archdale Road, Manor, Sheffield, was found guilty of murdering Jordan Marples-Douglas at the victim’s home on Woodthorpe Road, near Richmond, Sheffield, on March 6, 2020.
Kath Goddard, prosecuting, had told how Jones and another man – who is still at large - forced their way into the property as the door opened and Mr Marples-Douglas was later found in his bedroom covered in blood.
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Hide AdMs Goddard said the other man was helped by his girlfriend Dina Aweimrin, aged 22, of Oakdale Road, Nether Edge, Sheffield, to leave the country and it is believed he flew to Somalia.
Aweimrin was found guilty of assisting an offender.
Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said: “It was a premeditated attack in that those involved intended to commit violence.”
Ms Goddard said Mr Marples-Douglas was stabbed repeatedly about the head and body in his bedroom and the cause of death was a combination of internal injures and blood loss.
Jones claimed he had only visited Mr Marples-Douglas to buy drugs when he claimed Mr Marples-Douglas became upset about the presence of Aweimrin’s boyfriend and Jones admitted punching Mr Marples-Douglas.
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Hide AdJones also claimed Mr Marples-Douglas and Aweimrin’s boyfriend were swinging knives and he claimed he had struggled to disarm Mr Marples-Douglas.
Jones claimed he was guilty of manslaughter but was found guilty of murder.
Ms Goddard said Aweimrin researched and booked a flight for her boyfriend from Manchester to Dubai from where he is believed to have flown to Somalia.
Aweimrin accepted booking and paying for travel arrangements for her boyfriend but she claimed she thought he had an ill relative and claimed she had no knowledge Mr Marples-Douglas had been killed.
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Hide AdJudge Richardson said: “She has embraced evil and threw her lot in with them.”
He added: “She materially assisted a man who has evaded justice.”
Judge Richardson acknowledged Jones is potentially immature, had a troubled up-bringing and had at least pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Gul Nawaz Hussain QC, defending Aweimrin, said she had stupidly and blindly been under the influence of the man she helped to leave the country.
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Hide AdMs Goddard had originally claimed Mr Marples-Douglas died as a result of a drug-debt allegedly owed to Jones’s step-brother Aaron Johnson and she had claimed an arrangement had allegedly been made for Jones and Aweimrin’s boyfriend to pursue and enforce the debt.
However, Mr Johnson, aged 22, of Mawfa Crescent, Norton, Sheffield, was found not guilty of murder.
Judge Richardson sentenced Jones to life imprisonment and he will have to serve 21 years before he can be considered for release.
Aweimrin was sentenced to three years of custody. In Jones’s case time on remand will count towards his sentence and in Aweimrin’s case time spent on a curfew will also count towards her sentence.