Man who murdered pal after he shaved his eyebrow off jailed for 18 years

A man who murdered his friend after he shaved off his eyebrows whilst he slept has been put behind bars for 18 years following the killer reaction to the prank.

Matthew Higgins, 36, has been for the murder of David Eaton, 37, after he ruthlessly stabbed him in the heart after becoming fuelled by rage. Police were called to reports of a stabbing inside Higgins' property on September 28, 2024, in Northwich.

The pair had been hanging out together, alongside a 41-year-old woman. According to reports, all three of them were drunk. Worried neighbours said they heard a woman screaming shortly before 4pm.

Higgins was then spotted with his hands covered in blood. He was heard saying, "I've stabbed my mate". Higgins to life, Judge Steven Everett turned to him and said: “You didn’t really care about that and instead, while drinking with him, for reasons which I don’t understand, you decided to shave off his eyebrow."

READ MORE:

Days earlier, father-of-three Mr Eaton was said to have felt “real anxiety” as his “on-off” girlfriend, Emma Deed, snatched his phone, and he then enlisted Higgins to retrieve it.

The judge added: "It undoubtedly caused him additional anxiety. He went to get the phone off Emma Deed and you followed him. I am quite sure that you and Emma Deed thought it was a bit of a joke while he was trying to get hold of that phone.

"What he did was wrong but in part the pair of you brought this on by your childish behaviour.” The pair later clashed again at Higgins’s home in Brook Lane as Mr Eaton struck the defendant, but again caused no .

Judge Everett said: “It made you behave in a vengeful and vindictive way. You decided you were going to do something about it. At that particular moment I am quite satisfied that the red mist descended and, partly affected by alcohol, you stomped out of the lounge.

"You stormed into the kitchen, you got a knife and you were intending to kill him. You lured him into the hallway and then repeatedly stabbed him.”

Higgins left Mr Eaton on the floor as he went outside and told a neighbour: “Best ring an ambulance. I have just stabbed my mate. He was doing my f***ing head in.”

The court heard Higgins then lied to police when he claimed Mr Eaton had fallen on the. In a victim personal statement read to the court, Mr Eaton’s mother, Carol, said her son had a drink problem and “did not always make the best decisions”, but he was a “kind and caring soul who helped others where possible”.

She added: “David was robbed of the possibility of changing his lifestyle.” In mitigation, Owen Edwards KC said: “This was a incident between two friends living similar lifestyles. In one case a life lost, and in another case a life truly wasted. Alcohol has been the root cause of most problems in his life.”

Following sentencing, Detective Inspector Eleanor Atkinson, of Cheshire Constabulary, said: “Higgins chose to pick up a knife and let his anger get the better of him. That decision had devastating consequences.

“Despite knowing what he had done, he denied the charge of murder and forced David’s loved ones to sit through a two-and-a-half week trial. But the jury saw through his lies and convicted him of murder.

“I welcome thehanded down to Higgins, and while nothing can bring David back to his family and friends, I hope the fact Higgins is now behind bars for his murder will bring them some sense of closure, knowing justice has been served.”