A 50-year-old man from Lelant, St Ives been jailed for life for the murder of a man found floating in a reservoir with a single stab wound to his chest.

Nigel Honey, of Fore Street, appeared at Truro Crown Court today and pleaded guilty to the murder of 37-year-old Edward Hinds in Penzance earlier this year.

He was sentenced to life in prison for murder, to serve a minimum of 18-and-a-half years.

Police were called to Drift Service Reservoir near Penzance on Thursday, February 18, following reports that a body had been seen in the water. The body was later identified as Mr Hinds. He had died due to a stab wound to the chest.

Mr Hinds had been living in the Lelant area in the weeks leading up to his death. He had been friends with Honey for around six months and they had both moved to Cornwall from the Midlands.

Due to the remote location of the reservoir, investigating officers carried out searches for a vehicle. When they didn’t find any vehicle nearby, further enquiries were carried out and a car registered solely to Mr Hinds had been recorded travelling north on the M5.

The driver was identified as a suspect and when the car was stopped by police in Stratford Upon Avon in Warwickshire the next day [February 19], Honey was found at the wheel and arrested.

In his defence, Honey claimed that Mr Hinds had mental health issues and a drug habit and had invited him to kill him with a knife.

No murder weapon has ever been found.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Steve Hambly from the Major Crime Investigation Team said: “This draws to a conclusion the prosecution of Nigel Honey for the murder of Edwards Hinds.

“Honey admitted the murder, and his explanation for his actions, whilst difficult to understand to most, has been heard in detail and considered by the Judge.

“We do not live in a society where the life of another can be taken, even if, as Honey claimed, Edward wanted to die and suffered some significant challenges in life.

“He must now face the significant sentence imposed to reflect upon that fact.

“Edward’s family have behaved with the utmost of dignity throughout the whole process, and whilst I am sure many questions remain in their minds about why Edward died in the way he did, I do hope today’s sentence offers at least some closure.”