An 'extremely dangerous' drug dealer who left a man to die under a disused railway bridge with 56 knife wounds has been jailed for life.

Tyrell James, 24, of Hawksmoor Close, High Wycombe, appeared before Reading Crown Court today (April 30).

He was convicted last month of the murder of Karl Stanislaus, 44, who was found dead in Bowden Lane, High Wycombe, on September 5 last year.

He had suffered 56 knife wounds, including to his heart, head, lungs, liver and abdomen.

The sound of Mr Stanislaus begging for his life was picked up by a nearby CCTV camera.

Sentencing James over the brutal killing, Judge Heather Norton said: "The attack you unleashed on Karl Stanislaus was frenzied and ferocious."

In his defence, James - who was serving a suspended sentence for drug offences at the time of the attack - claimed he had hatched a plot with Mr Stanislaus to rob a rival dealer.

This went awry, and there was a dispute with Mr Stanislaus - leading James to stab him in self-defence.

Judge Norton said she rejected James' defence in its entirety.

She told him: "I want to make it clear that I do not accept, for one moment, that there was any truth whatsoever to that account."

Rather, the judge accepts the prosecution's case that Mr Stanislaus went to Bowden Lane to engage in drug-related business with James.

She said the defendant must have "turned on" his victim due to issues relating to this transaction.

Justifying this, the judge highlighted the fact that, at the time of the murder, James was on bail for a similar offence.

This attack, in December 2022, was non-fatal - although the victim required surgery.

Prosecuting barrister Ayanna Nelson read a statement from this man in court.

He said: "The fact that another person [Mr Stanislaus] was murdered ... was a big shock, and made me thankful to be alive."

Also read out was testimony from Mr Stanislaus' daughter on the personal fallout caused by the murder.

She said: "The impact of losing your father is one thing, but the impact of losing your father to such a vicious crime inflicts wounds that will never heal."

She added: "I abhor you, Tyrell James. Too many lives have been affected, and much too deeply."

Nicola Shannon KC, defending James, urged the judge to take into account her client's personal background at sentencing.

She said: "This is a young man who got himself into trouble through involvement in drugs, but equally had other periods where he was in employment, where he was a responsible young man."

Judge Norton jailed James for life.

He will have to serve a minimum of 31 years in custody.

The judge said: "These were both, separately and in combination, extremely serious offences.

"It is obvious to me, and to anyone who has knowledge of these offences, that you are an exceptionally dangerous man."