Trio jailed for Anthony Fernandes murder (From Croydon Guardian)

Trio jailed for almost half a century for murder of Epsom College worker Anthony Fernandes in Croydon

1:34pm Monday 7th June 2010 in Local news By Mike Didymus

A 16-year-old boy and his two homeless drinking partners have been jailed for a total of nearly 50 years for murdering chemistry technician Anthony Fernandes.

Jason Terry, his 26-year-old friend Darren Liston and 44-year-old Paul Maddix took part in a brutal assault on the Epsom College worker in his Broad Green home last July.

The 46-year-old suffered more than a dozen knife wounds after the trio had broke in to his house following an afternoon drinking session in Wandle Park, Croydon, with one of the weapons snapping clean in half because of the force used.

Liston faces a minimum of 18 years in prison after being handed a life sentence at the Old Bailey today, while Maddix will serve 16 years after pleading guilty to murder on March 29.

The older man had tried to take the rap for the killing while Liston and Terry pleaded their innocence, but the pair were convicted by an Old Bailey jury on May 10.

Terry, who does not turn 17 until August, will remain in prison until at least his 28th birthday and will initially be sent to a juvenile detention centre.

All three men had the 310 days they spent on remand deducted from their sentences.

The trio had spent the afternoon of July 28 last year drinking in the park and discussing their experiences of being homeless, when Liston suggested Mr Fernandes to see if they could stay with him because he was an ‘easy touch’.

The trio took a minicab to Windmill Road, and Maddix and the youth smashed a glass pane in Mr Fernandes’ front door to gain access to the house.

When he asked them to leave the situation became ‘ugly and murderous’ and the men fell on him with at least four separate knives, with many of the wounds slashes to his back.

Maddix claimed to have committed the murder alone as he phoned the emergency services for help, but was heard telling the other two to leave the flat during the call.

Liston wandered the streets after the attack, making calls from telephone boxes before throwing away the blood-stained t-shirt he was wearing.

He admitted the murder during one of those calls.