A man shaved off his friend’s eyebrow as a “childish” prank, then stabbed him to death the following day, a court has heard.
Matthew Higgins, 36, has been jailed for life with a minimum of 18 years for murdering 37-year-old David Eaton in 2024.
The row began when Higgins shaved off Mr Eaton’s eyebrow while he slept, Chester Crown Court heard, in what the judge described as a “childish prank”. The following day, on September 28 last year, a furious Mr Eaton lashed out at Higgins in the street in Northwich, Cheshire, punching and kicking him, although did not cause any injuries.
Honorary Recorder of Chester Judge Steven Everett told Higgins that shaving Mr Eaton’s eyebrow “undoubtedly caused him additional anxiety”, as he was already worried about a phone that his “on-off” girlfriend had taken.
The two friends clashed again at Higgins’s home in Brook Lane, and after Mr Eaton struck Higgins, “the red mist descended”, Judge Everett said.
“Partly affected by alcohol, you stomped out of the lounge. You stormed into the kitchen, you got a knife and you were intending to kill him,” Judge Everett told Higgins.
“You lured him into the hallway and then repeatedly stabbed him.”
Higgins left Mr Eaton on the floor as he went outside and told a neighbour: “Best ring an ambulance. I have just stabbed my mate. He was doing my f***ing head in.”
The court heard Higgins then lied to police, claiming Mr Eaton had fallen on the knife.
Higgins later said he acted in self-defence but a jury rejected his account and convicted him last week of murder.
He earlier had pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer following his arrest.
In a statement read to the court, Mr Eaton’s mother, Carol, said her son had a drink problem and “did not always make the best decisions”, but he was a “kind and caring soul who helped others where possible”.
She added: “David was robbed of the possibility of changing his lifestyle.”
In mitigation, Owen Edwards KC said: “This was a incident between two friends living similar lifestyles. In one case a life lost, and in another case a life truly wasted.
“Alcohol has been the root cause of most problems in his life.”
Following sentencing, Detective Inspector Eleanor Atkinson, of Cheshire Constabulary, said: “Higgins chose to pick up a knife and let his anger get the better of him. That decision had devastating consequences.
“Despite knowing what he had done, he denied the charge of murder and forced David’s loved ones to sit through a two-and-a-half week trial. But the jury saw through his lies and convicted him of murder.
“I welcome the sentence handed down to Higgins, and while nothing can bring David back to his family and friends, I hope the fact Higgins is now behind bars for his murder will bring them some sense of closure, knowing justice has been served.”
