Friends looked on in horror after Wigan borough man was stabbed by drug-dealing youth over 'minor disagreement'

The teenager, who was just 10 days short of his 17th birthday, stabbed Paul Marsh, 49, after making a delivery of class A drugs at the flat on Samuel Street, Atherton, which Mr Marsh was visiting.

He was found guilty of murder after a trial and was sentenced today at Manchester’s Minshull Street crown court. Because of the seriousness of the offence, the judge agreed to lift the anonymity given to under 18s during the sentencing hearing.

Mr Marsh’s killer was named as Jordan Rance, of Platt Hill Avenue, in Deane, Bolton. The court heard that he lived a "criminal lifestyle" and was a regular cannabis user, in addition to being a drug dealer.

After Rance brought and sold the drugs at the flat in Atherton, he and another youth stayed there to smoke cannabis.

The court heard that Rance was being needled by Mr Marsh, who was part of a group of men all of a similar age drinking and taking drugs.

Things quickly escalated and within a short time Mr Marsh was dead following a single stab wound to the shoulder, which caused a catastrophic loss of blood.

The court heard the pair had "squared up to each other" in the living room, despite the efforts of Mr Marsh's friends to calm the situation.

In her victim statement, Mr Marsh's mum Carol Ann Smith said her son "wasn't an angel" but nobody had the right to take his life.

She added: "The person who stabbed him made a conscious decision to do so. There are no winners in this. We have lost a father and a brother, while his parents have also suffered with the consequences of his death.

"I cannot forgive this young man for causing myself and my family so much pain and anguish. I hope he reflects on what he's done and learns from it."

Sentencing Rance, Judge Landale told him: "You stabbed him over a minor disagreement. His friends looked on in horror as the life drained out of him.

"Nothing that Marsh said or did could have justified your actions.”

Rance initially lied that Mr Marsh had produced the knife, and then that he (Rance) had picked it up from a TV stand at the property.

The court heard the weapon was part of Rance's "tools of the trade" as a drug dealer.

Judge Landale said: "You didn't stay to help, but fled with your friend. A voicenote shows that you were boasting about what you'd done and were completely without remorse."

At the time of the offence, Rance was on remand for another stabbing, when he instigated an attack by a group of youths on another group in Bolton town centre on February 26, 2023.

Judge Landale sentenced Rance to be detained for life, with a minimum term of 21 years before he could be considered for parole.

Afterwards, Det Ch Insp Neil Higginson said: “This is a tragic case in which a seemingly innocuous exchange has escalated and resulted in a loss of life. Our thoughts remain with Paul’s family at this time.

“We also have a young person going to prison for a long time. This case should serve as a stark reminder that carrying a knife is illegal and you could be jailed if you're found to be in possession of one.

"No good can come from carrying a knife and self-protection is not a reasonable excuse.”