THE Birmingham Crown Court has convicted an Asian man for manslaughter of a young father in Birmingham last year, described as an act of “possessive rage over his ex-partner”.
Ravinder Heer, 37, of Pimpernel Drive in Walsall, had stabbed 32-year-old Dale Grice in Cooksey Lane in the early hours of Saturday (7) last September, and left him on the road with fatal injuries.
Before stabbing Grice, Heer had threatened his ex-girlfriend outside her home in Kingstanding, Birmingham.
The court was told an intoxicated Heer tried to barge into the house.
When Grice stepped in to protect his partner, Heer stabbed him in the back with a kitchen knife.
“Dale had simply been trying to diffuse the situation as he knew Heer, but instead, he turned on him and fatally stabbed him on the road,” said the police.
As Grice collapsed, Heer, who was under the influence of alcohol and drugs, sped away in his car.
Heer, a construction worker, abandoned the vehicle after crashing it near Hamstead, and trudged into a local shop to buy alcohol.
As armed officers arrested Heer, he asked officers: “Is someone dead?
“Dale Grice is not breathing anymore?
“Who grassed me up?”
Detective Inspector Jim Mahon from the homicide team praised “the bravery of the witnesses who gave evidence in this trial”.
“It was frightening for them, but what they provided us with proved to be crucial in piecing together the events of that fateful morning,” he said.
He said Grice’s family displayed “dignity and restraint throughout the whole trial”.
“They know that Dale acted in a selfless manner and simply tried to protect a friend from suffering possessive control at the hands of an ex-partner,” he added.
In a tribute, Grice’s family said: “Dale was the most loyal, hardworking and loving son, dad, grandson and friend anyone could ever meet. Dale was the funny one in the family.
“He always had a smile on his face and his character would always bring someone out of a sad moment. He offered to do anything for anyone if they were in trouble.
“Dale lived for his two daughters. He will never see them smile or laugh again. They will never hear his silly jokes and he won’t get to see them grow up.
“We will never get justice for what has happened to Dale. We think we may be talking for everyone who had lost someone they have loved as much as we loved Dale.
“Dale will live on through his daughters and they will never forget how their dad loved them.”
Cleared of murder charges, Heer will be sentenced for manslaughter April 3.
Bob Blackman MP speaks during the event