ESSEX Police officers have secured justice for the family of Jimmy Moore after the man who murdered him was jailed for life with a minimum of 23 years.

Jimmy, 33, was killed by Robert Crabtree Nazeing on the morning of Saturday 25 September last year.

Jimmy had arrived at Crabtree’s address in Palmers Grove in order to pick his brother, Ryan Crabtree, up for work.

Believing Ryan was sleeping in a front first floor bedroom, Jimmy threw stones at the window in order to wake him.

However, Ryan Crabtree was not staying there on that and instead it was Robert Crabtree asleep in the room.

Having been woken up, Crabtree shouted out of the window to Jimmy and the pair got into an argument.

Crabtree went downstairs and, armed with a knife, confronted Jimmy and stabbed him several times.

When Jimmy fell to the floor, Crabtree stabbed him again.

Jimmy staggered to his car, got into the driving seat and made it a short way down the road before collapsing at the wheel.

When officers arrived at the scene they found him in his car and, sadly, he died a short time later.

Crabtree, 33, was arrested on suspicion of murder but during interview he claimed to have been acting in self-defence.

His brother Ryan claimed Jimmy had picked up mole grips and had threatened Crabtree with them, but CCTV footage which covered much of the incident did not show Jimmy with anything in his hands when the attack took place.

Robert Crabtree was charged with murder and was convicted on 8 August following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.

His brother Ryan, 30, of no fixed address, was convicted of perverting the course of justice having been found to have tried to help his brother clean up the blood from the driveway.

He also turned off their CCTV following the incident in an attempt to reduce the evidence available to our officers.

At the same court today (Friday 9 September), Robert Crabtree was jailed for life and told he must serve a minimum of 23 years before being eligible for parole.

Ryan Crabtree was sentenced to two years in prison with a further two years on license.

Following the sentencing, Detective Superintendent Scott Egerton, who led the investigation, said: “Jimmy’s death was tragic and needless.

“Robert Crabtree used extreme violence to settle an argument over a relatively minor matter, and in doing so has robbed Jimmy’s family of a loving husband and father.

“This case highlights the serious impacts knives can have and how easily their use can significantly escalate a situation.

“No sentence will ever bring Jimmy back but I hope today’s result will help his family move forward.”