Homophobic killer stabbed gay student to death then wrote 'I always win' on bedroom wall

A man who murdered a student in a homophobic and transphobic knife attack then scrawled a message on his bedroom saying that he "always wins" has been jailed for life. Lee Arnold admitted stabbing William Lound to death after the pair had sex at his halls of residence on Cannon Street in Salford on 7 February this year.

Arnold scribbled a message on the wall afterwards which read "your (sic) not reddy (sic) for me. I always win. Tick tock", with an arrow pointing to Lound's dead body. In a frenzied attack, Arnold slashed and stabbed the 30-year-old computer science student 12 times in the head, neck and back just moments after they had finished having sex.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard how the pair met when Lound, who would often dress as a woman and wear make-up, visited a tented village in London Road close to Piccadilly Station in Manchester. Lound found people to be "less judgemental of his lifestyle, habits and attitudes" here, but Arnold became convinced Lound saw him attacking another man.

The 37-year-old asked to have a shower at Lound's accommodation then threatened to kill him whilst holding a knife to his throat warning him to stay away from the village. Despite the threats, Lound, who was called "weird" and a "freak" by Arnold, visited the village the next day.

Arnold, who had been on police bail for stealing a mobile phone, was incensed and hatched a plan to "get him naked and at his most vulnerable". He then took a seven-inch serrated knife and stabbed him repeatedly, telling him to "shut up you little freak".

Prosecuting, Robert Hall said: "Lee Arnold thought that this was Mr Lound disrespecting him and his orders. To make matters worse he was wearing women's clothing. Lee Arnold then decided he was going to murder William Lound."

The next day Arnold told a PCSO and police officer of his crimes and on Monday 1 August Arnold was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 23 years and four months. It was stated during thee Arnold had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and had been released back into the community following a number of prison

William's mother, Maureen Lound, told Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court: "I don't blame Arnold, I blame the system. He should not have been allowed to roam the streets unsupervised." Then in a victim impact statement she said: "I bear no malice towards Arnold. He appears to be a very sick man, for his safety and others he should be cared for in a secure unit."

In passing sentence, Judge John Potter said: "This was a brutal, pre-meditated sustained attack with a weapon upon a vulnerable and defenceless man. There is, in my judgement, evidence that your victim was murdered as a consequence of his sexual orientation."