Harley Barfield murderer jailed for Haverhill stabbing

Harley was stabbed near Strasbourg Square in the west Suffolk town on the afternoon of Monday, January 9.

Harley Barfield was attacked in Haverhill (Image: Suffolk police)

He was attacked by his new girlfriend's ex-boyfriend, who viewed Harley as an obstacle to a reunion.

After a trial at Ipswich Crown Court, the 17-year-old defendant, who has not been named due to his age, was found guilty of murder by majority verdict.

The trial was told the attacker confronted Harley in a "jealous rage" and tried to goad him into a fight before stabbing him with a kitchen knife.

Harley died two days later in hospital as a result of a fatal wound to his heart.

At a hearing on Tuesday, the defendant was handed a life sentence and told he will serve a minimum of 17 years in custody.

He had denied murder, but admitted manslaughter and possessing the knife used in the attack.

The jury in the trial was told how the defendant armed himself with a kitchen knife and lay in wait for Harley.

Flowers at the scene where Harley was fatally stabbed (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Riel Karmy-Jones KC, prosecuting, said the defendant and Harley, who she described as being in a “love triangle”, had thrown punches at each other before the attacker took the knife out of his pocket and stabbed Harley several times in a “frenzied” attack.

After the stabbing, the attacker fled from the scene and disposed of the knife.

Harley was airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge before being transported to the nearby Royal Papworth Hospital, but died from his injuries.

Over the course of the month-long trial, the jury also heard from psychiatrists and witnesses, including Harley's girlfriend who described arriving at the scene to find him lying injured on the ground.