CCTV footage released of night Lee Dawson was murdered

Lee Dawson suffered fatal knife wounds when he was attacked in Jutland Street, Preston, last summer.

Three men and a woman have since been jailed for their roles in the killing of Lee Dawson in Preston last year.

• READ MORE: Two jailed for life and one for 15 years over Lee Dawson murder

Police have now released a video which shows the events which led up to Lee’s tragic murder.

Police have done this, with the permission of Lee’s family, in order to highlight the dangers of knife crime.

Lee Dawson (Image: Preston Police)

To give you context of what the footage shows, following an earlier argument Ben Bibby and Andrew Wilcock, who were found guilty of Lee’s murder, confronted him with knives on East Street, Preston.

Lee removes his jumper and wraps it around his wrist to defend himself. First Bibby and then Wilcock slash at him with their knives.

On hearing the disturbance Robert Cross, who was found guilty of manslaughter, arrives on East Street and along with Bibby. They chase Dawson down East Street.

The group catch Lee further down East Street where he is fatally stabbed. He collapses nearby and sadly dies from his injuries a short time later.

In the days that followed police identified and arrested Bibby, Wilcock and Cross.

Benjamin, 21, of Dawson Walk, Preston, and Andrew Wilcock, 29, of Lincoln Walk, Preston, were found guilty of murder by a jury at Preston Crown Court following a three-week trial.

Robert Cross, 34, of Milner Street, Preston, was convicted by the jury of Mr Dawson’s manslaughter but cleared of murder.

Kerry-Anne Metcalf, 39, of Dawson Walk, Preston was found guilty of assisting an offender.

DCI Mark Haworth-Oates, who led the investigation, said: “People who take knives on to our streets, whether they intend to use them or not, should know that they face significant sentences.

“Sadly, yet again, we have a case where a man has lost his life through this kind of senseless violence.”

Lee’s mum, Christine Dawson, said: “No sentence imposed will bring back a much-loved son, brother, father and friend or reflect the heart ache and pain these people have inflicted on our family. Now the trial is over, it feels like a line has been drawn under Lee's life.

“A mother should not have to witness her son die. Lee had so much to live for and these people have taken that away.”

On Tuesday (February 14), the following sentences were handed down:

• Andrew Wilcock, 29, of Lincoln Walk, Preston. Life with a minimum of 24 years.
• Benjamin Bibby, 21, of Dawson Walk, Preston. Life with a minimum of 24 years.
• Robert Cross, 34, of Milner Street, Preston. Jailed for 15 years.
• Kerry-Ann Metcalf, 39, of Dawson Walk, Preston. Jailed for 15 months.