A former drug addict had been jailed for life after brutally stabbing a 25-year-old man to death.
42-year-old Anthony George had been drinking vodka and smoking cannabis throughout the day when events escalated at Tyrone Williamson’s home in Bolton in December last year.
Mr Williamson lost his phone, and George was later found to have it. He was accused of stealing the phone and some money.
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George was ejected from the house and in the ensuing confrontation he stabbed Mr Williamson multiple times with ‘severe force’. He was left with three major stab wounds to his chest including one which penetrated his heart.
Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, Mr Williamson died just hours later.
George, of no fixed abode, denied an offence of murder, but was unanimously found guilty by a jury. Today (Monday), he was jailed for life to serve a minimum term of 21 years in prison.
Laura Williamson, the older sister of Tyrone, wept as she told the court of her ‘caring’ and ‘lovely’ younger brother.
“He was the glue that kept our family together,” she said.
“He was just full of love and always wanted everybody else to be happy. Everyone he knew naturally gravitated towards him.
“He was so caring - he would do anything for anyone. There was never a person he didn’t get on with. He had an absolutely beautiful smile and a contagious laugh. That laugh will never get out of my head.
“The night of December 11, I got a phone call from my sister, absolutely frantic, screaming, saying Tyrone had been stabbed. As I arrived, the street was cordoned off and I saw them carrying my lifeless brother out and putting him into an ambulance - that was the last time I ever saw him.
“I instantly felt like I was being suffocated. My whole world has fallen apart. My brother is gone and he is not coming back. On that night, a part of me was taken with my brother.”
And his younger sister, Elise, cried: “I remember getting that call and rushing over to my mum’s house - just hoping he would be OK and he would be sitting there waiting for me. I held his head in my hands as I stroked his hair, I told him I was there for him, I said: “I’m here Tyrone”. I felt so helpless, like I let him down.
“I felt faint and I couldn't breathe. It’s destroyed our family. Our beautiful Tyrone has gone forever. Tyrone didn’t deserve this.”
During the trial, prosecutor Simon Blakebrough told the court that after being accused of stealing Mr Williamson’s mobile phone, he was ejected from the house on Battenburg Road, in Bolton.
George had earlier been out in the day with an associate and admitted taking a knife out with him. After being kicked out of the house in December, he was seen holding the knife and threatening to ‘slit all their f******* throats’.
His ex-girlfriend arrived to try and calm him down, but said she didn’t recognise him due to how intoxicated he was, Mrs Justice Yip said.
He was then heard to say: “Watch what’s going to happen to them. They are accusing me of taking the phone and the money.”
A car then pulled up and George spoke to the occupants before getting into the passenger seat. In CCTV footage, Mr Williamson was then seen to approach the car before arguing with George.
During the row Mr Williamson threatened to ‘one bomb’ George. Within seconds there was a scuffle, during which George stabbed Mr Williamson with ‘severe force’.
After the attack, Mr Williamson told one of his friends he had been stabbed and they could see a large amount of blood on his t-shirt. The emergency services were called and an attending consultant paramedic had to perform open heart surgery on the street to restart his heart.
Mr Williamson was transferred to hospital, but sadly died hours later. Three stab wounds were found to his torso including one which penetrated his heart.
After the incident. George went to his friend’s house and told him he had ‘jibbed someone up’.
George was assaulted following the murder, suffering five stab wounds and spending three weeks in hospital. The alleged attackers are facing court proceedings.
Defending George, who previously told the jury he had abused drugs since the age of 13, his barrister Liam Walker KC said: “This was an intention to cause really serious harm, rather than to kill. He describes being haunted and thinking about this every day.
“This was a tragic event characterised by drug misuse.”
Jailing him for life with a minimum term of 21 years imprisonment, Mrs Justice Yip said: “Tyrone Williamson was just 25-years-old when he died. His family and friends, including children, witnessed the frantic but futile attempts to save his life and have suffered trauma as a result.
“He was much loved by his family and loved them back. I hope you will reflect on the moving words of his sisters and remember the suffering your actions have caused.
“If you had not armed yourself with a knife that day, Tyrone Williamson would not be dead and you would not be facing a life sentence.”
George, of no fixed abode, was also handed a three year driving ban after pleading guilty to driving whilst under the influence of drugs in August 2021.
Chief Inspector Daniel Clegg of GMP’s Major Incident Team said: “Firstly, our thoughts remain with Tyrone’s family and friends, as they try to come to terms with losing their loved one.
“We are extremely pleased with today’s result. Anthony George will spend the next 21 years in prison for the violent murder of Tyrone Williamson.
“I would like to commend the team for an effective and thorough investigation that has led to Tyrone’s family receiving justice.”
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