AN OKEHAMPTON man has been jailed for 24 years for being part of a gang which carried out a sadistic stabbing attack and left their victim to bleed to death.

Steven Webster, 42, of East Street, was found guilty of manslaughter and robbery at Exeter Crown Court on Monday, along with other members of the gang, whilst gang leader Ryan Singleton from Coventry received life for murder.

Judge Francis Gilbert QC said it was a savage and brutal killing for which they had shown no remorse.

The court heard that Ryan Singleton travelled to Exeter with two henchmen to attack Steven Crook who he believed had £20,000 in cash or heroin in his flat.

The robbery was set up by Steven Webster, who, living in the area, knew the local dealers, and carried out by Singleton, who drove from Coventry with friends Anthony Martin and Darren Twigger.

They all went into the Sainsbury store to buy knives before Webster, acting as a gateway driver, drove them to Mr Crook's flat where they burst in and stabbed him.

They went onto Exmouth where Singleton was seen on CCTV at the Spice Lounge demonstrating the stabbing to Webster and both men were seen laughing about the attack.

It was during this re-enactment that Singleton boasted he had 'turned the man's head into a chessboard.'

Mr Crook, 43, was found dying at his ground floor flat in Alphington Road after the robbery on the evening of November 21 last year.

Singleton, aged 26, Webster, Twigger, aged 40 and Martin, aged 22, all denied murder and robbery. The latter two were also found guilty of and received sentences for manslaughter and robbery.

Jury members were unable to agree verdicts on a fifth defendant Bradley Richardson, aged 18, and were discharged. The prosecution will decide later this month if it wants to seek a retrial.

Judge Gilbert told the men: 'Singleton went in first and caused really serious injuries at the door but the other two who went inside each had a lethal weapon to intimidate Mr Crook and overcome his resistance and foresaw he may come to some harm during the course of the robbery.

'Webster planned the robbery and encouraged the others to go in hard. The fact you all went onto Exmouth demonstrated you had no remorse or regret when you must have realised Mr Crook was, at the very least seriously injured. You went in search of another dealer to rob and when you did not find one you partied into the night, drinking and taking drugs using the victim's stolen money.'

He said this was a 'ferocious and merciless attack' for the purpose of robbery which ended in Mr Crook's death.

'What happened at the Spice Lounge showed Singleton had no regrets whatsoever and no remorse... you all showed an extraordinary callous attitude.'

The judge praised the police action which trapped the four men.