Racist killer smirks in court as he is jailed

Jan 31 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

A TEENAGER who stabbed a Merseyside man to death in a racist attack has been jailed.

Daniel Masher plunged a kitchen knife 10in into Marlon Moran’s stomach last May.

Liverpool Crown Court was told Moran, 21, of Shelley Grove, Garston, was killed after a cam-paign of racist abuse.

Yesterday Masher, 18, smirked in the dock as he was jailed indefinitely for the public’s protection.

Masher, who has a previous conviction for attempted robb-ery, will serve at least three-and-a-half years before being possible parole.

Peter Davies, prosecuting, said there had been a long-running dispute between the two men's families, who were neighbours.

He said Mr Moran had been subjected to prolonged abuse and on the day of his death he had decided to confront Masher, following him to his house on Byron Street.

Masher got the knife and went outside. He contin-ued the abuse before stabbing Mr Moran.

Mr Moran, who had planned to start a new life on the Isle of Man, died in hosp-ital three hours later.

During a five-week trial in November and December Masher said he had been acting in self-defence.

The jury rejected this. It cleared him of murder, but convicted him of manslaughter.

Yesterday Stuart Lawson-Rogers QC defending, said Mr Moran had been an aggressor, but said Masher was remorseful.

Mr Justice Grigson told Masher: “While you did not intend to kill him or cause grievous bodily harm you did intend to stab him.’’

Masher’s co-accused, Callum Kennedy, 18, of Winslade Road, Walton, Jordan Crawford, 18, of Convent Close in Grassendale and a juvenile, who cannot be named, were all cleared of murder.