A man nicknamed the ‘one-armed bandit’ has been jailed for life after stabbing a Swindon man to death.
Vincent Sparkes claimed he accidentally knifed Neil Bambrick during an altercation in Broad Street on 11 July last year – but he was convicted of murder at trial.
The 44-year-old, who has only one arm, headbutted his victim before pulling out a knife and inflicting a single stab wound to the chest at around 8.55pm.
41-year-old Bambrick – who was not carrying a knife – was rushed to hospital in critical condition and died in the early hours of the following day (12 July, 2023).
Sparkes fled the scene, hiding out at friend’s flat in Galsworthy Close – where he was arrested by armed police a short time later.
He was initially arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, but was further arrested on suspicion of murder following Mr Bambrick’s death.
Sparkes pleaded guilty to manslaughter, claiming the fatal wound was an accident. However, the jury rejected this and found him guilty of murder.
At Bristol Crown Court today (Monday), he was jailed for life. The defendant, of Station Road, Swindon, will serve a minimum of 17-and-a-half years behind bars.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Phil Walker said: “Firstly, I’d like to offer my condolences to Neil’s family and pay tribute to them for their conduct during the investigation and court process – I hope this verdict brings some comfort to them.
“This case again shows the tragic consequences of carrying a knife.
“In his interview, Vincent Sparkes described using the knife he was carrying in ‘the heat of the moment’ during an argument.
“Sadly, this split-second decision has cost Neil his life and it demonstrates that had Sparkes not made the decision to carry the knife in the first place, this argument would never have led to Neil’s death.
“Simply put, Neil would still be alive if Sparkes did not have a knife that day.
“The verdict comes during a week of activities around ‘Sceptre’ – which is a national knife crime initiative focusing on the reduction of knife crime.
“If you are considering carrying a knife, please think about the potentially life-long consequences of your actions.”
