A FORMER New Forest cricketer died after being scalded with boiling water and stabbed in the heart.

Armed with a large kitchen knife, Cameron Wayne Baker, 28, of Leed Street, Sandown on the Isle of Wight, attacked Thomas Barton, 30, in Ryde during the early hours of May 28 after a personal dispute.

He was found guilty of murder today (Thursday, December 7), following a trial at Winchester Crown Court.

A second man who was also charged with murder – 28-year-old Rio Scott of Park Road in Ryde – was found not guilty by the jury.

Baker, who denied murder and claimed self-defence against the victim, hurled boiling water over Mr Barton before twice plunging the blade into Mr Barton’s chest.

CPS prosecutors successfully argued the fatal wounds inflicted by Baker went beyond any reasonable expectation of self-defence.

Mr Barton played for Lymington Cricket Club’s first XI from 2007 to 2011.

Ruth Sands, CPS Wessex Senior Crown Prosecutor, said: “This case is yet another tragic example of the fatal consequences of violence involving knives.

“This was a difficult and complex prosecution as we needed to prove Baker intended to kill Thomas Barton.

“Our prosecutors pieced together compelling witness testimony with forensic evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that this was not self-defence – this was a cold-blooded murder.

“Mr Barton, a young father, was unarmed when he confronted Baker. For him to be murdered so swiftly and brutally underlines the permanency that knife crime can have on a person’s life.

“Let this case be stark a reminder to those who use knives for violence – you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Following a personal dispute involving Baker and Mr Barton and his ex-partner on May 27, the victim sought to confront Baker at an address on Park Road.

He was driven to the address by his father, who witnessed the incident unfold.

Expecting Mr Barton’s arrival, Baker armed himself with a boiled kettle and a large knife before waiting on the doorstep.

A brief scuffle ensued during which Mr Barton was scalded by boiling water and then stabbed twice in the chest – suffering a punctured lung and a fatal wound to the heart.

The victim staggered away from the scene before dying in front of his father and members of the public.

Despite overwhelming evidence, Baker denied stabbing Mr Barton in the chest or scalding him with the water, instead claiming he only stabbed the victim’s legs.

He also refused to give police the PIN for his personal mobile.

A large kitchen knife was found tucked under a wheelie bin yards away from where the incident took place. A prosecution expert determined the knife was likely used to inflict the fatal wounds on Mr Barton.

Baker is scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday, December 12, at Winchester Crown Court.