A defendant involved in the murder of father of three David Driscoll was sentenced to a community order by magistrates for assault on police, just a day before the killing it has been revealed.

Painter and decorator David Driscoll died from a stab wound to the neck outside Filton House, Oxhey Drive, South Oxhey on Thursday, November 23, when a gang burst into the flat looking for drugs.

Nathan Bruce, 21, of Harwood Court, Hoxton was sentenced to 22 years for murder.

At St Albans Crown Court today, one of his accomplices, Leon Walsh was jailed for 14 years for conspiracy to rob.

The court heard the day before the killing of Mr Driscoll Thames Magistrates sentenced Walsh - who had two previous convictions for weapons and was on a conditional discharge - to supervision by probation, for assault of a police officer in execution of their duty, criminal damage, breach of a conditional discharge, and possession of cannabis.

Within hours of the sentence Walsh, of Whiston Road, Hackney, was on the way to Watford after a tip off about a large amount of cocaine in a South Oxhey flat.

Walsh held Tony Kendall, the owner of the flat, down on the living room floor with a knife at the back of his neck, while Bruce fatally injured his friend in the kitchen before the gang ran off empty handed.

Philip Sutton, for the defence, said Walsh, 22, had been in and out of care homes and had a difficult start in life. This was an escalation in his offending, which in terms of gravity, were of a “totally different nature” the court was told.

Walsh had been found not guilty of murder, and although he could not be held responsible for Mr Driscoll’s death, Judge Michael Baker said: “This was a planned robbery, where you entered Mr Kendall’s home using force.

“You were the oldest of the three and only the day after release on a community order for violence, drug offences and breach of a conditional discharge, carried out this offence.

“You have not learned from your previous convictions and the fact you had a complete disregard for the community order made troubles me greatly.”

Walsh waved to the public gallery as he was led away to begin the sentence. The judge ordered that 703 days spent on remand be deducted from the sentence.

The alleged ring leader Raymond Agbugba-Cansie, 27, of Whippendell Road, Watford is due to be retried in May after there was a hung jury in his trial.