Danny Pearce murder: Man who stabbed young father to death over Rolex watch in Greenwich jailed for 35 years

Jordan Bailey-Mascoll, 25, was imprisoned for 35 years on Thursday
Tom Powell19 July 2018
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A man who stabbed a young father to death for his Rolex watch after he left a jazz club in Greenwich has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Police said the attackers, including Jordan Bailey-Mascoll, 26, showed "no pity" to 31 year-old Danny Pearce as he was chased, stabbed repeatedly and shot at in front of his friends and partner on July 15 2017.

Bailey-Mascoll of Dartford, Kent, who had previously been found guilty of murder, was told he will have to serve at least 35 years as he was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court.

Scotland Yard said that Bailey-Mascoll was also sentenced to 18 years in prison to run concurrently after pleading guilty to a robbery on July 13 2017.

Mr Pearce, who has a five-year-old daughter, was among the group who were walking to a parked car when he was confronted by Bailey-Mascoll and another man, both on a moped, who demanded he hand over his Rolex watch.

Danny Pearce, 31, was killed in July last year

He refused and fled to a nearby house to seek help but was cornered by his attackers and died despite efforts of paramedics and police to save him.

Footage shown in court showed Bailey-Mascoll and his accomplice picking out their target. The pillion passenger is seen raising his arm to point back at Mr Pearce, clearly alerting his accomplice they have found a potential victim, according to Scotland Yard.

Moments after he refused to surrender his Rolex, Bailey-Mascoll produced a large knife and began chasing Mr Pearce while the second man shot in his direction.

A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as multiple stabbings but police also found gunshot grazing and evidence of at least four shots fired in Mr Pearce's direction as he tried to flee.

His mother Jan Pearce, 63, in a statement released after sentencing, said: "Danny was randomly murdered in Greenwich.

"He left behind a family who loved him unconditionally, including two sisters and a brother. But it is not only us as adults suffering - Danny's nieces and nephews are grieving and it hurts them in different ways. How do you answer a child when they ask where Uncle Danny is?

"We need to get these murderers off the street - who knows who will be next and then another family will go through the same devastation as us.

"I don't want another mum to go through this agony. I need to know those responsible will be locked up for a very long time."

After sentencing Detective Inspector Jo Sidaway said: "The level of violence used against Danny was truly horrendous and the length of time over which they carried out the attack - up to two minutes - marks it out as the most sustained random stabbing attack I've seen in my 26 years in the police service.

CCTV showing motorcycle robbers driving past Danny Pearce and pointing him out as a potential target.

"Danny had sought help at a nearby address, but he was cornered and shown no pity. Danny was repeatedly stabbed as he lay collapsed on the steps of a stranger's house.

"It was only when his girlfriend shouted out that she'd give them Danny's watch, that they stopped their remorseless attack. Without a hint of compassion they grabbed the Rolex and fled the scene.

"The family who lived at the address opened the door to a dying young man, the trauma of that night cannot be imagined. Some witnesses who ran from the scene thought it was a terrorist attack, due to its ferocity.

"It is sickening that such prolonged, lethal violence against a defenceless man, with a family, was done only for a wristwatch.

"Although one man has been convicted, we are still keen to trace the stolen watch. The model was a Silver Rolex Datejust 2 2017, worth around £5,000."

Detectives said the watch was still "an important part" of this ongoing investigation.

Ms Sidaway said: "Do you work in a shop perhaps and remember seeing such an item offered for sale? Or maybe you bought such a watch in good faith from an internet dealer? It is an important part of this investigation, which remains ongoing."

Scotland Yard said that a 21-year-old man who was also arrested in connection with Mr Pearce's murder remains released under investigation.

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