A murder investigation into the death of Tobias Bruce has entered its second week as details about the Oxford man’s past have been unearthed.
Mr Bruce was stabbed during an incident in College Lane, Littlemore, at around 6.05pm on Sunday, February 25.
The 32-year-old was hospitalised as a result alongside a 28-year-old man.
READ MORE: Family of stabbing victim release heartfelt tribute to ‘beautiful boy’
But Mr Bruce died of his injuries three days later leading to an outpouring of tributes from his friends and family.
Four people have been arrested in relation to the double stabbing incident with three suspects bailed and one released without further action as police continue to investigate.
Mr Bruce’s past saw him jailed for a series of burglaries, drug crimes, assaulting a police officer as well as kidnapping an escort and her boyfriend before holding them hostage for ransom.
In February 2012, Mr Bruce was jailed for 21 months after admitting to two burglaries in the city.
The first burglary was in Cranham Street in Jericho in November 2011 and the second was in Blackthorn Close in Headington the month before.
In the burglary in Cranham Street, Mr Bruce was stopped by the homeowner after gaining access through an insecure door.
The then 20-year-old dropped an iPad and mobile phone when he was chased by the owner.
Police tracked Mr Bruce using his DNA which was found on the phone keypad and he was later picked out during an identification parade.
Two years later Mr Bruce was then jailed for three and a half years in October 2014 after kidnapping an escort and her boyfriend and holding them hostage for a ransom of £500.
READ MORE: Book of condolence: Tributes to Oxford man killed in stabbing
Earlier that year, on January 28 at about 3am, Mr Bruce and another man encountered “female escort” Elena-Diana Paduraru and her boyfriend Gheorge Ilie in the centre of Oxford before taking the keys to the couple’s car and telling the woman: “Tell your boss I want some money.”
The barrister Guy Williamson said Mr Bruce spoke to someone on a phone and demanded £500 in exchange for letting the two go.
The pair then spent about two hours driving around the Friars Wharf and Abingdon Road areas of Oxford.
The prosecutor said Mr Bruce eventually became aggressive and threatening, picking up a brick and telling his captives if he was not paid quickly they would get hurt.
Mr Williamson added the defendant also told the man on the other end of the phone he had a gun but when they stopped to meet him his prisoners managed to escape.
Five days before the kidnapping he was found with 15.74g of cannabis, a class B drug, which he admitted possessing with intent to supply.
He also admitted to breaking into a house in Wellington Street stealing £860 cash three months before the kidnapping.
Lucy Tapper, who was defending Mr Bruce, said her client had struggled with insecurities and self-esteem problems since he was at school.
She read a letter Bruce wrote to the court which said: “I wish I could have told my victims that I’m sorry somehow.
“It was a very stupid and selfish thing to do and I wish I could rewind time.”
In March 2019, police launched a manhunt for Mr Bruce in connection with a series of violent robberies in Oxford.
The then 28-year-old was wanted in connection with three robberies including two at Jury’s Inn Hotel, Godstow Road and another at a property in Oliver Road in Cowley.
Mr Bruce was detained by police after being threatened with a taser during a struggle outside a house at Stanley Close on the morning of May 29 in 2019.
Police officer Ms Young, who was five foot four inches tall, decided to try and rugby tackle the fleeing Bruce before “grappling” with him.
During the fight, Mr Bruce, just short of six foot, “yanked her hair back” before crashing into a garden fence as more officers piled into the fray.
Mr Bruce appeared at Oxford Crown Court in November that year expecting to face a trial on a count of robbery and having a bladed article at the Jury's Inn hotel, which he denied.
However, prosecutors dropped the case after the complainant failed to attend and he was formally cleared.
He instead went on to plead guilty to two separate counts of having class B drugs and assaulting a police officer during his failed attempt to escape.
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