North Walsham Man Locked Up for 9 Years After Fatal £10 Drug Debt Row
£10 Drug Debt Ends in Tragedy
Matthew Constantinou, 42, was sentenced to nine years behind bars for manslaughter after stabbing Thomas Moore during a bitter dispute over a £10 cannabis debt. The shocking attack unfolded in North Walsham last October.
Deadly Confrontation on Bacton Road
The court heard how Moore, also 42, visited Constantinou’s home with a friend to settle a drug debt. After paying £10 to Constantinou’s mother, the situation quickly spiralled. Constantinou, armed with a baseball bat, chased them out.
The chase ended on Bacton Road, where Constantinou stabbed Moore once in the neck during their heated argument. Despite frantic CPR attempts by bystanders, police, and paramedics, Moore died at the scene shortly after midnight.
Arrest and Sentencing at Norwich Crown Court
Constantinou called 999 himself, admitting he thought he’d seriously hurt someone. He was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm before being charged with murder. After an 11-day trial, the charge was reduced to manslaughter.
At Norwich Crown Court, Constantinou was sentenced to nine years in prison—a verdict welcomed by Detective Inspector Lewis Craske. He said, “This incident quickly escalated into a violent attack where a man has needlessly lost his life. There are no winners here; families’ lives are changed forever.”
