IT ended as police hope every siege will end, with everything calm and no-one hurt. Especially as on a sunny spring morning in April, 1996 at the centre of it all was a four month old baby.

Negotiators and neighbours watched as Andrew Powell walked quietly out of his grandmother’s house in Walnut Avenue, Worcester, cradling little daughter Lauren in his arms.

More than 20 officers had gathered outside the property in the Brickfields area of the city, as 23-year-old Powell holed up there after taking the baby from his ex-girlfriend’s home in Tolladine Road.

He had called there and found mother Julie Hossack in bed with an old flame.

The considerable police presence was because in a jealous rage, Powell had caused the former boyfriend serious harm.

In fact he stabbed Tony Coldicott six times in the back.

But once at his grandmother’s his mood softened and he spoke rationally to trained negotiators from an upstairs window.

Even so, Powell had barricaded himself inside the property and bottles of milk for the baby were sent to him along a clothes line to the window while crowds of neighbours looked on.

Eventually after two hours it was all over.

Powell emerged from the house carrying Lauren and was calmly escorted to a waiting police car while everyone else went home.

Father and daughter were then taken to Worcester police station where the baby, who was unharmed, was reunited with her mother.

In January, 1997, Andrew Powell appeared at Worcester Crown Court charged with attempting to murder 17-year-old Tony Coldicott of Henwick Road, Worcester. Peter Arnold, prosecuting, told the jury that Powell had become increasingly frustrated and angry after his two year relationship with Miss Hossack ended.

“He believed she belonged to him and he became insanely jealous when he found out she was seeing old flame Tony Coldicott,” said Mr Arnold.

He added. that on several occasions Powell had allegedly threatened to kill Mr Coldicott.

Matters came to a head at around 10.30 am on April 30, 1996 when Powell broke into Miss Hossack’s flat and found her in bed with Mr Coldicott.

He punched and kicked the teenager before stabbing him six times in the back with an 18-inch kitchen knife, the blade of which was still  embedded when paramedics arrived.

Powell denied the charge, claiming it was Mr Coldicott who attacked him first with the knife and he then grabbed it in the ensuing struggle.

He only stabbed the victim once and could not recall the other five times because he was “hearing voices in his head”.

However, the jury  didn’t believe him.

Judge Michael Mott jailed Andrew Powell for ten years for attempted murder and that’s where the story might have ended but for a bizarre twist in the tale.

Serving his sentence at Blakenhurst Prison, Redditch, Powell met fellow in-mate Kenneth Price, who had strangled his wife Sandra and been convicted of manslaughter.

The two began comparing crimes and sentences and Price was astonished at the length of jail time Powell had received. “I killed my wife and I only got three years,” he said. “You should appeal.”

Powell’s parents had long thought the ten year term their son received was excessive and so Dennis and Barbara Powell set about trying to get it reduced. However, their efforts, backed by a 300 signature petition, came to nought when they were refused legal aid to appeal.

As it was, Andrew Powell was released from Gloucester Prison on licence after seven and a half years on condition he stayed away from Worcester.

He said: “It was one of those spur of the moment things and I totally regret it. I would like to apologise to the people involved. “I tried before but they were not having any of it.

“Now I’m starting a new life.”

For the latest crime updates, check out our Facebook page Worcestershire Crime Updates or log on to worcesternews.co.uk