Two men have been convicted of the murder of a man who was attacked in his own home in Colchester.

Alinjavwa Siwale, 22, was found with multiple stab wounds at the address in Affleck Road shortly after 12.15am on Friday 11 December last year.

Mr Siwale's brother Suwi was also at the home and suffered a stab wound to his head.

He jumped over a neighbouring fence to get help and was taken to hospital for treatment.

When police arrived on the scene, officers established the front door had been forced open and a search of the Greenstead area began.

Just after 3am, a call was made to the police from a house on Teal Close, reporting someone who had been knocking at the back door of the property for several hours.

An officer from the Essex Police Dog Unit was first on scene, and he detained 25-year-old Sheldon McKay in the garden of the property.

His bloody clothes were immediately seized and he was arrested on suspicion of murder.

McKay was later forensically linked via his clothing to the DNA of the victim Alinjavwa.

Gazette: Victim - Alinjavwa Siwale had been working on his music careerVictim - Alinjavwa Siwale had been working on his music career

Further enquiries with McKay’s associates led to the arrest of 20-year-old Phoenix Lee.

Both men, of no fixed address, were charged with murder and with committing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Today they were found guilty on all charges against them at Chelmsford Crown Court, despite claiming self defence throughout the trial.

Detectives gathered CCTV which showed the pair forcing the front door open at around 12.12am on the morning of the murder.

Just three minutes later, the second victim left the property to get help from a neighbour, whilst Alinjavwa lay fatally wounded in the kitchen.

Senior Investigating Officer Julie Gowen, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: “Lee and McKay have been cowardly throughout this investigation. They’ve, unforgivably, deprived Alinjavwa’s family of the truth about what happened on the night of his murder.

“Throughout the investigation my team have worked tirelessly, carefully piecing together the movements of those responsible for this horrendous crime and ensuring early arrests were made.

“These dangerous individuals will now spend a significant amount of time in prison making Essex a safer place.

“Alinjavwa was killed in his own home. It was a place where he worked on his music, where he spent time with his son and his brothers, where he should have been safe from harm.

“I hope today’s outcome will bring Alinjavwa’s family some justice, and will give them some peace to allow them to move forward with their lives.”