Man given life sentence for Valentine's Day murder in Reading
Yannick Cupido was stabbed to death earlier this year
Last updated 24th Nov 2021
A man has been handed a life sentence for murdering a 24 year old man on Valentine's Day in Reading.
On 14 February this year, O'Neal Joseph was involved in an altercation with Yannick Cupido outside a shop in Nire Road.
Yannick was stabbed and staggered along an alleyway into Managua Close where he collapsed and died.
28 year old Joseph of Amersham Road in Caversham will spend a minimum of 23 years behind bars after he stabbed Yannick Cupido to death earlier this year.
He was found guilty of murder on Tuesday (23 November).
Reece Weatherburn of Nire Road, Caversham was convicted of two counts of assisting an offender and he has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Senior investigating officer, Detective Inspector Mike Roddy, of the Thames Valley Police Major Crime Unit, said:
“This was a tragic incident in which a young man needlessly lost his life.
“It is yet another example of the serious consequences of knife crime, and the damage that carrying a knife can cause.
“Because of this Yannick’s family have lost someone who otherwise would not have lost his life. They have shown incredible strength and dignity throughout this process and I would like to thank them for that.
“If anything comes of this case, I hope it is that it makes people think about the dangers knives can do.
“If Joseph had not done that, Yannick would still be alive.”