Man given 16 Year Life Sentence after Southampton Footpath Murder

James Russell,  38, has today been found guilty of the murder of Nick Beattie at Winchester Crown Court. He has been sentenced to life and will serve a minimum of 13 years. A murder investigation was launched after Nick’s body was found on a footpath in Golden Grove, Southampton on the afternoon of Friday, March 20, 2015. Detective Sergeant Kate Barry from Hampshire’s Major Crime Team said: “This was a vicious attack which resulted in the tragic loss of Nick’s life. “It was a complex investigation and we worked extensively with the community to ensure people felt supported, safe and sure they could trust us. From the outset, we wanted to get justice for Nick and today this has been achieved. We continue to work with partners across the city to reduce drug related incidents and hope the community will continue to work with us.