THE family of murdered hairdresser Stuart Roe said they have "finally got justice" after his killer pleaded guilty and faces life in jail.

Martyn Turley, aged 58, stabbed Stuart through the heart in the early hours of December 30 last year in Springfield Drive, Halesowen, but the reason remains a mystery.

Birmingham Crown Court heard this week how a chance meeting, while the two men were walking home from separate nights out, left Stuart dead and Turley behind bars for murder.

Examination of CCTV footage enabled detectives to piece together what happened before and after Stuart, aged 34, who owned Mr Trim barbers on Quarry Bank High Street, was attacked.

The pair headed home from their respective nights out at around the same time, but took separate routes before coming face to face for the first time on Olive Hill Road at around 1.20am.

Less than fifteen minutes later avid Wolves fan Stuart was stabbed to death on Springfield Drive.

What happened in the time between these events is captured on CCTV, but as the footage has no sound, exactly what happened isn't known.

CCTV on Olive Hill Road showed Turley grabbing a metal bar from a skip, while Stuart armed himself with a rock.

They walked into Springfield Drive when Turley went ahead and into his partner's nearby home, coming out with a knife.

Turley then stabbed former Leasowes High pupil Stuart twice in the chest with one blow to his heart, falling over drunk as he landed the blows.

Stuart collapsed and Turley left him to die, calmly walking back to his partner's home at 1.38am.

A member of the public saw Stuart at 1.39am and called an ambulance, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

When Turley was arrested the following day police found a pair of blood-stained trousers with Stuart's blood on at the address.

A trial started yesterday (Tuesday), but Turley changed his plea to guilty of murder today (Wednesday). He will be sentenced on December 17.

Detective Inspector Caroline Corfield, from West Midlands Police homicide team, said: "This was such a shocking and appalling crime committed by Turley, and one where he has shown absolutely no remorse.

"There is seemingly no reason for the attack, and to date he’s offered no explanation as to why he did what he did.

"That said, no motive can ever justify the senseless murder of a young man, or undo the pain and suffering inflicted on Stuart’s family.

“Thankfully Turley pleaded guilty, and now faces the consequences of his actions.

"I hope his subsequent prison sentence provides some solace for Stuart’s family and friends.”

Stuart's family breathed a sigh of relief at the admission which followed a day of evidence in which CCTV of the incident was shown.

In a statement they said: “We’re relieved at the outcome, and we’d like to thank the police for all of their hard work and dedication which has left our son’s killer with no choice but to plead guilty to his murder.

“Stuart will always be missed, and although nothing will ever bring him back we’re pleased that we’ve finally got justice for what happened to him.”