THE family of Nicholas Robinson have released a statement following the arrest of his killer. 

The statement reads: “On 5 March 2014 Nicholas was brutally murdered and our lives changed forever.

“Nicholas’ life was taken away and we lost our son, fiancé, nephew and friend. His death was a senseless act. He was only 19 years of age and had his whole life ahead of him.

“We would like to take this opportunity to remind all young people that carrying knives is not acceptable under any circumstances and we do not want any other family to go through the loss and pain we have experienced.

“Today his killer has been found guilty and a sense of justice has been obtained. However none of this will ever bring Nicholas back into our lives.

“The last 14 months have been a very long and painful journey and we as a family are extremely grateful for the support we have received from our families, the community, the church, the Prosecution barristers, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Homicide Support Service and the investigation team who have all worked so hard on behalf of our family and Nicholas.

“Finally and most importantly we would like to thank all of the very brave witnesses who attended court and supported our family and the police in bringing Nicholas killer to justice. Thank you.”

Two men were convicted of offences relating to the murder of 19-year-old Nicholas Robinson, of Bristol.

Nicholas was fatally stabbed at his home in Ron Jones House, Jamaica Street, Stokes Croft, at around 8.30pm on Wednesday, March 5, last year.

The murder was in revenge for his role in a failed bid to buy a firearm.

Nicholas suffered three stab wounds to his chest and managed to run out of the house and into Lower Gay Street, where he was able to call the emergency services. Despite being treated at the scene by paramedics, he couldn’t be saved. 

Luchiano Barnes, 19, of Denbigh Street, Bristol, has today been found guilty of murder following a three-week trial at Bristol Crown Court. He admitted a charge of conspiracy to purchase a firearm.

Fabian Cole, 20, of Byron Street, Bristol, admitted a charge of conspiracy to purchase a firearm at an earlier court hearing.

Senior Investigating Officer Det Ch Insp Andy Bevan said: “Nicholas was a much-loved and well-respected young man with his whole life ahead of him. He was doing well in college and he’d recently got engaged. 

“We don’t know why he got involved in trying to help Luchiano Barnes and Fabian Cole buy a firearm, or what the motive for buying the firearm was.

“What we do know, is that because of the failed bid to buy a firearm, Nicholas was punished in the most horrific way possible.

“All murders are tragic, but there are extremely distressing elements to this case, in particular that Nicholas was on the phone to his fiancée when the fatal stabbing took place.

“Through the meticulous and innovative policing work carried out by my team during this investigation, we’ve been able to prove that Luchiano Barnes carried out the attack on Nicholas.

“Three days after carrying out the attack, Barnes travelled to Heathrow Airport and flew to New York where he remained for almost a month before flying back home.

“I want to offer my sincere thanks and gratitude to Nicholas’ fiancée Shannon, his parents Carlos and Angela, and the rest of his family, for their wholehearted support of our investigation.

“They were able to put aside their grief to help us carry out a public appeal for information at the start of this investigation and they’ve shown great bravery and dignity throughout.

“I’d also like to thank the local community for their support and patience while we investigated Nicholas’ murder. We know incidents like this can cause a great deal of concern and anxiety.

“This has been a complex and fast-paced inquiry and we’ve worked closely with the Crown Prosecution Service from the outset. We’ve also been assisted by a host of other agencies, including the National Crime Agency and the FBI.

“This partnership work has undoubtedly helped us bring those responsible for Nicholas’ murder to justice.”