Killer stabbed friend and 'left him to die'

A man has been jailed after murdering his friend and leaving his body to be found two days later when police broke into his flat.

Bradley Nightingale, 29, killed father Jake Mills, 34, at the apartment on High Street in Cheslyn Hay, in September 2025.

After stabbing him in the neck, police said Nightingale stole Mills' car, before crashing it minutes later and fleeing the scene.

Nightingale, of Millfield Avenue, Bloxwich, Walsall, was sentenced to 17 years in prison at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Friday, after previously being found guilty of murder.

The defendant was captured on CCTV leaving the flat on 18 September, before getting into Mills' Audi A5, crashing it, then running away, Staffordshire Police said.

Their investigation uncovered how Nightingale had used his victim's bank card to pay for bus travel on the morning he fled the flat.

He also attempted to buy alcohol with the card, contacted Mills' bank and ignored calls from his victim's mother while on the run, police said.

The 29-year-old also sold the phone he had stolen at a second-hand retailer the same morning.

Nightingale, who was arrested at his home on 20 September, gave a pre-prepared statement when he was interviewed, saying that he was with Mills the night before, according to the force.

He told officers he was given permission to drive the car and had not murdered him or caused him any injury.

Det Insp Gina Pope said she was pleased with the sentence Nightingale received, adding it was "for Jake's family".

"My thoughts remain with Jake's family and friends who we know have suffered absolute heartbreak following the tragic events that took place last year," she added.

"Officers and staff have worked incredibly hard to capture all of the evidence and progress this investigation for which I thank them again, which ensured the jury were able to come to their verdict in the trial last month."

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