Leicestershire men jailed for Badoo meet-up murder

Two men have been jailed for life for the murder of a man one met through the dating-focused social networking app Badoo.

Tim Smith, 45, was stabbed in the heart in his car by Mark Anthony Law at an industrial estate, in Shepshed, Leicestershire, on 16 March.

At Leicester Crown Court, Law, 20, of Shepshed, was ordered to serve a minimum of 19 years in prison.

Mason Casey, 18, will serve a minimum of 15 years for the same offence.

Law, of Sandringham Rise, who arranged the meeting, pleaded guilty to murder last month.

Casey, of Ludlow Place, Shepshed, stood trial and was found guilty of the "pointless" murder on 16 October.

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On the night of his death, Mr Smith, from Staffordshire, who was single, had arranged to pick up Law from his home after chatting to him on Badoo.

Casey also joined them in the car, and Mr Smith drove to Gelders Hall Industrial Estate and parked up.

Minutes later, Law stabbed Mr Smith in the heart and the two men ran off.

Mr Smith then reversed the car and attempted to drive away, but collided with a wall and collapsed.

He was found by someone working at nearby premises who had come outside after hearing the collision.

Police initially attended the scene after a report of a road traffic collision on Gelders Hall Road at about 21:00 GMT.

Mr Smith died at the scene and a post-mortem examination showed he died of a stab wound to the heart.

His father, Derick Smith had said: "All of us are still feeling the loss from a pointless death, and for all the good or bad things he did in his life, he didn't deserve to have his life taken this way.

"He was always first to help others no matter what situation occurred.

"He had a good social life; he was never deterred by trying something new.

"It seems such a waste of life, which no family should have to suffer, on both sides of the crime."