YEOVIL NEWS: Manslaughter conviction following death of a man in Yeovil

A 28-YEAR-OLD man has been convicted of manslaughter following the death of a man in Yeovil last summer.

Following a trial at Bristol Crown Court, Kristian William Bailey was convicted on Wednesday (January 23, 2019) by a jury of the manslaughter of Joseph ‘Joe’ Jennings.  

Mr Jennings was found by an ambulance crew with multiple injuries in the stairwell of flats at Great Western Terrace at about 11.15pm on Saturday, July 14, 2018.  

Sadly he died at the scene despite attempts to save him.  A forensic post-mortem examination confirmed he’d suffered nine knife wounds, one of which was fatal.

The court heard how Mr Jennings was at Bailey’s flat in Great Western Terrace with two other men when an argument broke out over drugs. The prosecution said Bailey repeatedly stabbed Mr Jennings with a large knife and then left the scene.

Bailey was arrested later the same night and appeared in court charged with murder on Thursday, July 19, 2018.  He denied murder, claiming he was acting in self-defence. 

The jury dismissed the proposition that Mr Bailey was acting in reasonable self-defence, and could not be sure that he intended to cause really serious harm. 

PHOTO – TOP: Kristian Bailey has been found guilty of manslaughter.

PHOTO – RIGHT: Joseph “Joe” Jennings was found with multiple injuries on July 14, 2018, and died of his wounds.

They found him not guilty of murder but found him guilty of manslaughter. He’ll be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court tomorrow (Thursday, January 24, 2019).

Mr Jennings’ sister, who asked not to be named, said: “Joe was a lovable rogue who would do anything for anyone if he was able to, whose life was taken in such a horrific way. He has left a huge hole in his sisters’ and family’s lives. Hopefully he can now rest in peace.”

The dedicated team who investigated the incident took more than 150 statements and reports. They were supported by neighbourhood officers and specialist colleagues from across the force, who watched hundreds of hours of CCTV, carried out searches and seized over 300 potential exhibits and forensic samples.

Senior Investigating Officer DI Mike Buck said: “I want to pay tribute to the dignity shown by Mr Jennings’s family throughout the trial and to the bravery shown by all the witnesses who attended court to give evidence.”

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