Isle of Wight man Cameron Baker sentenced to life in prison for murdering former Lymington cricketer Thomas ‘Tommy’ Barton

A MAN who murdered a former Lymington cricketer during a confrontation over holding hands with an ex-girlfriend has been jailed for life.

Father-of-one Thomas ‘Tommy’ Barton (30) was stabbed to death by Cameron Baker (28) in Ryde on the Isle of Wight in the early hours of 28th May.

Mr Barton played for Lymington’s first XI from 2007 to 2011, and the second XI in 2018. He was playing for Ventnor’s first XI before he was murdered.

Baker, formerly of Leed Street in Sandown, Isle of Wight, denied murder and claimed self-defence against Mr Barton, but he was found guilty after a trial at Winchester Crown Court.

On Tuesday he was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 21 years.

A jury had previously heard that Mr Barton had gone to confront Baker at an address on Park Road after seeing him holding hands with his former girlfriend

He was driven to the address by his father, who watched events unfold.

Expecting Mr Barton’s arrival, Baker armed himself with a boiled kettle and a large knife before waiting on the doorstep.

Mr Barton was scalded by boiling water and then stabbed twice in the chest – suffering a punctured lung and a fatal wound to the heart.

He staggered from the scene before dying in front of his father.

A member of the public, helped by police, provided first aid until the ambulance arrived, but after continued efforts by the ambulance service, Mr Barton was pronounced dead.

Baker denied stabbing Mr Barton in the chest or scalding him with the water, claiming instead he stabbed only the victim’s legs.

A large kitchen knife was found tucked under a wheelie bin near where the incident happened. A prosecution expert told the court the knife was likely used to inflict the fatal wounds on Mr Barton.

A second man who was also charged with murder – 28-year-old Rio Scott of Park Road in Ryde – was found not guilty by the jury.

Ruth Sands, CPS Wessex senior crown prosecutor, said: “This case is yet another tragic example of the fatal consequences of violence involving knives.

“This was a difficult and complex prosecution as we needed to prove Baker intended to kill Thomas Barton.

“Our prosecutors pieced together compelling witness testimony with forensic evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that this was not self-defence – this was a cold-blooded murder.

“Mr Barton, a young father, was unarmed when he confronted Baker. For him to be murdered so swiftly and brutally underlines the permanency that knife crime can have on a person’s life.

“Let this case be a stark reminder to those who use knives for violence – you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Of the guilty verdict, Detective Chief Inspector Andrea Douglas, senior investigating officer, said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Tommy Barton who was tragically killed by Baker.

“Baker demonstrated a shocking display of extreme violence that has not only led to a young man losing his life, but has destroyed the lives of many others as a result.

“[The] verdict is a reflection of the commitment of a large number of police officers and staff who worked tirelessly to investigate this incident and bring a case to the Crown Prosecution Service. The collective efforts of all involved in seeking justice for Tommy and his family have now resulted in the man responsible for his murder being convicted.”

Mr Barton’s family paid tribute to him in the days after his murder: “We are completely shattered at the loss of Tommy. He was a father, a son, a brother, an uncle and a friend to many.

“He has been stolen from us and we are completely heartbroken. He will miss out on so much of life, particularly seeing his beloved daughter grow up.

“The world is quieter without him in it and we will never fully recover. We are grateful for the support and love that we have received and hope you will all remember him as he was – a caring and generous man that lived his life to the maximum.”