Homicide Review to take place into murder of student in Newcastle
Aaron Ray, from Sunderland, was sentenced to at least 22 years in prison for killing his partner, Jason Brockbanks, in 2022
Newcastle authorities have launched a review into the murder of a student who was killed by his jealous boyfriend.
Jason Brockbanks was stabbed in September 2022 by Aaron Ray, who was sentenced to a minimum of 22 years in prison after being convicted of murder.
The 24-year-old was attacked in his Howard Street flat by Ray, after the killer read messages between Jason and other men on dating app Grindr.
It has now been confirmed that a Domestic Homicide Review (DHR) has been commissioned to explore the circumstances surrounding the Northumbria University student’s death and whether there are any lessons to be learned from the case.
Its findings are expected to be published next year.
A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said: “The Community Safety Partnership has agreed to oversee a Domestic Homicide Review into the death of Jason Brockbanks.
“A DHR is a review into the circumstances around a death of a person following domestic abuse to establish what can be learned from the death regarding the way in which local professionals and organisations worked to safeguard victims.
“The review will take a number of months and remains confidential until the report is approved for publication by the Home Office. Partner agencies are required to implement the review’s recommendations, which is monitored by the Community Safety Partnership.
“Barring any unforeseen delays, we expect this to be published some time in 2025.”
Jurors at Newcastle Crown Court unanimously convicted Ray, of Mayfield Road, Sunderland, of Jason’s murder in March 2023 and he must serve a minimum of 22 years of a life sentence behind bars.
The pair had gone out in Newcastle city centre before returning to the student’s flat in the early hours of September 24, 2022.
CCTV footage showed Ray kicking Jason in the leg before entering the accommodation and, once inside, he took Jason’s phone and recorded a video of himself scrolling through the messages on Grindr.
The court heard how Ray then knifed Jason, who was found dead in the flat three days after the attack, and fled the scene.
Jason’s dad, Christopher, told the court last year that his son was a “ loving and gentle soul” and a “talented young man who had so many dreams to realise”.