A killer who slashed a father of two to death with a Swiss army knife in front of horrified barbershop customers has been jailed for at least 22 years.
Crispin Siddon, 34, tried to defend himself with an afro comb as he was brutally murdered by Anthony Allen, a day after his wedding anniversary, at Cutz Barbers in Harlesden, north London.
Violence erupted after Mr Siddon walked into the shop and punched Allen in the face, demanding: ‘Where’s my money?’
Father-of-four Allen, 34, then produced a folding knife and aimed five lethal ‘swiping and jabbing’ movements at his victim’s chest.
Anthony Allen (left), 34, brutally murdered Crispin Siddon (right), during a row at Cutz Barbers in Harlesden, northwest London
Mr Siddon, who co-owned GB Records with hip hop star Corleone, died in hospital after suffering a fatal stab wound which pierced his heart and left lung.
CCTV footage of the aftermath of the stabbing showed Mr Siddon walk across the barbers as Anthony Allen fled the scene.
Allen, from Neasden, northwest London, denied murder and having an offensive weapon, but was convicted of both offences at the Old Bailey.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 22 years.
Mr Siddon’s death, last May 5, was one day after he celebrated his wedding anniversary with his wife Georgina Seddon.
In a witness statement read to the court by prosecutor Bill Emlyn-Jones, Ms Seddon said: ‘I have a five-year-old and a seven-year-old who cry every day for their dad.
Anthony Allen prepares to leap into an attack on Mr Siddon, as he holds the Swiss Army Knife
‘That kills me. So much has been changed for them.
‘There’s not an hour that goes by where I don’t care for him.
‘My boys cling to me whenever they think I am going out because they think I’m going to go out and never come back like their dad did.’
Just over an hour after the fight, Allen told a doctor at West Middlesex University Hospital he had been punched and stabbed in the thigh by a stranger in a park and that he cut his finger on a fence.
The Common Serjeant of London, Judge Richard Marks QC, sentenced Allen to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 22 years.
Members of staff appear to be ordering Allen to leave the barbers after his lethal clash with Mr Siddon
Mr Seddon’s sister Keisha Siddon said: ‘Whenever we were together or speaking on the phone he would say ‘I love you sis’.
‘The jury verdict on Friday gave my family a sense of relief.
‘Despite the verdict there is nothing for us to celebrate.
‘Every time I think about what happened to him I find myself hoping it was just a bad dream.
‘The last thing he said to me on the last occasion I saw him was ‘I love you sis, I got you’.
‘We cannot begin to describe how much we miss him.’
Crispin Siddon, wearing a grey hooded tracksuit walks through Cutz barbers in Harlesden, northwest London
His father, Rupert Siddon, said: ‘I was very close to Crispin, he was my only son.
‘People would say there were two of us because we were that close.’
The judge said: ‘They will no doubt continue to remain absolutely devastated following their loss.
‘The manner in which you used that knife went far beyond what could be regarded as reasonable self-defence.
‘The sentence of the court on count one of this indictment will be one of life imprisonment and the minimum term will be one of 22 years.
‘On count two there will be no separate penalty.’