A MURDERER who appealed against his conviction for the killing of a man in Worcester has been resentenced to 16 years following a retrial.

Rafael 'Rikko' Marks maintained his innocence but was resentenced to 16 years in prison for the murder of Adrian Locke in Worcester at a hearing at Nottingham Crown Court.

Mr Locke, who was described by his family as a "hardworking and considerate son", was found stabbed to death outside a flat in Worcester in January 2013.

We reported that Rafael Marks, aged 20, of Nooklands Croft, Birmingham, who also goes under the name Rikko, and Micah Golding, aged 21, of Broughton Road, Birmingham, both denied murdering 39-year-old Adrian Locke but were convicted after a 11-day trial at Worcester Crown Court.

Both were given life terms along with recommendations from Judge Robert Juckes QC that Golding should serve a minimum of 20 years and Marks 16 years.

Marks was given leave to appeal against the original sentence by the Court of Appeal but has been resentenced to exactly the same term of imprisonment as before following a retrial before judge and jury.

Detective inspector Stuart Murphy of West Mercia Police said of the sentence, handed out on Friday, October 23: "On behalf of Adrian's family we are pleased that Rikko Marks has been resentenced to 16 years imprisonment which was the length of his original sentence, and that justice has been served."

Both Marks and Golding had pleaded guilty at the original trial to conspiring to supply class A drugs, heroin and crack cocaine, in Worcester between December 1, 2012 and January 3, 2013.

Golding and Marks were respectively given four and four-and-a-half-year concurrent sentences for that offence.

The court heard that the pair had been supplying drugs from a flat in Teme Road, Tolladine, Worcester.

Mr Locke, who lived at Wych Road, Droitwich, went to the flat on the evening of January 2, 2013, looking for drugs but when he was turned away an argument ensued.

Moments later Golding, who was aware of Marks’ imminent return to the building, left the flat armed with a knife and Mr Locke was confronted by both men.

A short time later Mr Locke was found on the ground outside the property with several stab wounds, including one which had penetrated his heart. He was confirmed dead at the scene by a doctor.

Detective Inspector Stuart Murphy of Worcester CID said at the time that the knife used in the murder was recovered at the scene and both Golding and Marks’ DNA was found on it.

He said the pair ran a highly organised drugs operation from Teme Road, catching a train in from Birmingham every morning and then returning after they had finished their dealing.

Although they were only known by their nicknames, ‘P and D’, detectives were able to trace them from witness accounts, their own intelligence and subsequent police enquiries.

A statement released on behalf of the family by Adrian Locke’s mother Lillian at the time described him as a hardworking and considerate son.