VIDEO: Watch the moment Skegness murderer arms himself with weapon

Paul Bodell, 38, of Grosvenor Road in Skegness, has been jailed for more than 20 years for the murder of Paul Barnett.

Bodell was today (Tuesday) sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years and 95 days at Lincoln Crown Court. He was convicted of murder following a 13-day trial in April.

Paul Barnett, aged 46, died from a single stab wound to the side of his chest following an altercation with Paul Bodell in Grosvenor Road, Skegness, at around 10.15pm on September 22 last year.

Mr Barnett was pronounced dead at the scene despite the efforts of members of the public and paramedics from East Midlands Ambulance Service, who tried to save him.

Following sentencing police released CCTV footage which shows Bodell returning to his residence after an initial altercation with Barnett. He arms himself with a knife from the kitchen before exiting the property to go and confront Barnett.

Detective Chief Inspector Richard Myszczyszyn, of East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU), said: “This was a brutal attack with an unwarranted level of violence and a man’s family have been left devastated by this senseless incident.

“Had Bodell left the knife at home, the outcome would have been very different. Instead this case epitomises the dangers of carrying a knife or weapon in a public place.

“Lincolnshire Police takes any incident involving a knife or weapon extremely seriously. Should you choose to carry one, even if you don’t intend to use it, there is every chance that someone could be either seriously injured or killed.

“I would like to thank all of the witnesses who came forward to help secure this conviction and I hope this is the start of some closure for Mr Barnett’s family and the local community.”

Police officers in Lincolnshire continue to work around the clock to reduce weapons and associated crime in the county through Operation Raptor – the force’s ongoing commitment to keep Lincolnshire as safe as possible. Since it was introduced in October 2019, over 300 arrests have been made for weapons related offences.

However, we rely on communities being our eyes and ears and we urge residents to report any concerns to us, including if someone is in possession of a weapon or has made a threat to use one.

If you believe someone may carry a weapon or have one in their home, please report it to police by calling 101. If you suspect someone may be in danger, call 999.

If you have information but don’t wish to speak to police, you can remain completely anonymous by making a report to CrimeStoppers. Visit crimestoppers-uk.org or call 0800 555 111.

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