Man found guilty of the murder of Marcus Tott, Skegness
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Update, Monday 19 June:
Richard Norris has today been jailed for 27 years for the murder of Marcus Tott following a sentencing hearing at Lincoln Crown Court.
Mr Tott, from Skegness, died after he received a fatal stab wound.
Detective Inspector Adrian Czajkowski, of East Midlands Special Operations Unit, led the investigation. He said: “This was a brutal and senseless attack on a defenceless man whist he slept. Mr Norris armed himself with a large kitchen knife from where he was staying and purposely attended the home address of Mr Tott in the early hours of the morning and stabbed him in his chest to seek retribution.”
“Our thoughts are with Mr Tott’s family and friends. I want to thank the witnesses that came forward and provided vital evidence to secure this conviction. I would also like to praise the investigation team and support staff that worked very hard and meticulously to build a strong evidential case and this included reviewing many hours of CCTV.”
“Tackling knife crime is one of the force’s top priorities because we know the devastating impact carrying and using a knife can have, and we would call on anyone who thinks about carrying a weapon to take a minute and really consider what will happen to them and anyone they come into contact with if there is a blade between them.”
As knife crime is one of out force’s top priorities we continue with out ongoing operations such as Op Sceptre to help reduce this crime. Read more here: Operation Sceptre May 2023 | Lincolnshire Police (lincs.police.uk)
Original release:
A man has been found guilty of murder after stabbing his victim at a property in Skegness, last December.
Marcus Tott, aged 47, was found dead by his landlord at the property in Grosvenor Road, on 2nd December, 2022.
During a two-week trial at Lincoln Crown Court, jurors heard evidence that Richard Lee Norris armed himself with a large kitchen knife and attended Mr Tott’s home in the early hours of that morning and stabbed him whilst he was asleep, discarding the knife in a nearby drain before he returned home. The motive for the attack is believed to be the breakdown of the relationship between Mr Tott and a woman who is a friend of Richard Norris.
East Midlands Ambulance Service had attended a report to a patient not breathing at the property and then reported it to the police, with officers attending soon after 9.25am.
A murder investigation was launched after it was confirmed Mr Tott had died from a stab wound to his chest.
Later the same day, three people were arrested in connection with this incident.
Two were later released without any further action, but Norris, aged 54, was charged with murder and remanded in custody for trial at Lincoln Crown Court which began on 5th June.
Norris, of, Alexandra Road, Skegness, had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder and named another as being responsible. He changed his defence on the day of his trial claiming that he was acting in self-defence and did not intend to kill Mr Tott. The jury deliberated for three and a half hours and Mr Norris was found guilty of murder. He will be sentenced on Monday 19 June at Lincoln Crown Court.
Detective Inspector Adrian Czajkowski, of East Midlands Special Operations Unit, led the investigation. He said: “This was a brutal and senseless attack on a defenceless man whist he slept. Mr Norris armed himself with a large kitchen knife from where he was staying and purposely attended the home address of Mr Tott in the early hours of the morning and stabbed him in his chest to seek retribution.”
“Our thoughts are with Mr Tott’s family and friends. I want to thank the witnesses that came forward and provided vital evidence to secure this conviction. I would also like to praise the investigation team and support staff that worked very hard and meticulously to build a strong evidential case and this included reviewing many hours of CCTV.”
“Tackling knife crime is one of the force’s top priorities because we know the devastating impact carrying and using a knife can have, and we would call on anyone who thinks about carrying a weapon to take a minute and really consider what will happen to them and anyone they come into contact with if there is a blade between them.”
As knife crime is one of out force’s top priorities we continue with out ongoing operations such as Op Sceptre to help reduce this crime. Read more here: Operation Sceptre May 2023 | Lincolnshire Police (lincs.police.uk)
View previous release:
Man charged for Skegness murder | Lincolnshire Police (lincs.police.uk)
Richard Norris has been found guilty of murder
Victim Marcus Tott: 