A knifeman who stabbed a male model to death on Valentine's Day after he was made to 'look foolish' in a series of prank texts, has today been jailed for life.
O'Neal Joseph, 28, fatally stabbed Yannick Cupido in the chest during a row outside an off-licence in Lower Caversham, near Reading, Berks.
Hours earlier Mr Cupido, 24, had been involved in a series of prank texts with friend Reece Weatherburn.
The texts claimed Weatherburn, a mutual friend, had been arrested because of a stabbing.
Joseph got wind and became 'concerned' about his friend. But concern turned to anger when he realised it was a prank.
He began a text row with Mr Cupido and the pair agreed to meet outside the shop, where Joseph pulled a kitchen knife and fatally wounded the male model.
Today Joseph was given a life sentence at Reading Crown Court after being found guilty of murder.
Weatherburn was jailed for three years after being convicted of two counts of assisting Joseph by impeding the police investigation.
O'Neal Joseph (pictured left) , 28, fatally stabbed Yannick Cupido (pictured right) in the chest during a row outside an off-licence in Lower Caversham, near Reading, Berks. Hours earlier Mr Cupido, 24, had been involved in a series of prank texts with friend Reece Weatherburn.
The jury was previously told that on the evening of February 13, the night before the stabbing Mr Cupido and Weatherburn had started sending bogus messages to Weatherburn's ex-partner.
They claimed Weatherburn had been arrested over a stabbing.
Joseph, also a close friend of Weatherburn's, got wind of the messages and took them at face value and began to become concerned and angry.
This led to a spate of aggressive text messages being sent before they agreed to meet outside the off-licence in Lower Cavisham.
The jury heard that the meeting soon turned violent and as the two shouted and fought until Joseph stabbed Cupido with a kitchen knife.
Mr Cupido fled the scene before collapsing a few moments later. Passers-by called an ambulance he later died from his injuries, with the attack leaving him with a deep wound that punctured his lung.
The court heard that Joseph fled the scene, visiting various friends before finally meeting up with Weatherburn at around 3am of Valentines' Day and laying low in his flat.
Weatherburn denied knowing anything of the attack until Joseph turned himself in to the authorities two days later.
Defending Joseph, David Hislop QC said: 'At the age of only 28 he faces a prison sentence of a very, very long time.
'He will not see his children grow and he will have to endure the knowledge his children will know their father is in prison for murder.
'He will also have to endure the knowledge he murdered a man in a few minutes of madness.
This led to a spate of aggressive text messages being sent before they agreed to meet outside the off-licence in Lower Cavisham. Pictured: Police at the scene
'He has ruined not only his life but the lives of others and this he will have to live with for the rest of his life. These are all severe punishments in their selves.'
Defending Weatherburn, Nadia Chbat said: 'The assistance from
