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Man is jailed for killing parents Man is jailed for killing parents
(about 3 hours later)
A Wiltshire man has been jailed for 29 years for murdering his parents in a drunken row. A Wiltshire man has been jailed for life and told he will serve a minimum of 29 years for murdering his parents in a drunken row.
Philip Paul Middleton, 45, had denied murdering his mother Iris, 66, and father Theo, 74, at their home in Wootton Bassett. At Bristol Crown Court, Philip Paul Middleton, 45, had denied murdering his mother Iris, 66, and father Theo, 74, at their home in Wootton Bassett.
Their bodies were discovered, slumped in their chairs, by their daughter the day after the couple died. The bodies were found by their daughter who arrived with a wedding anniversary gift the day after the couple died.
Passing sentence at Bristol Crown Court, Mr Justice John Royce described the murders as "brutal and heartless". Passing sentence, Mr Justice John Royce described the murders as "heartless".
He added that Mr and Mrs Middleton, who were killed in July 2005, were "good, hard-working, gentle people".
The next thing I remember was waking up fully-clothed with blood on my hands and clothes Philip Middleton
Describing Middleton as a bully, he said: "Your parents took you back again and again when most parents would have closed the door.
"Your treatment of them was abominable.
"Quite clearly when you are affected by drink you are a dangerous man."
Middleton admitted killing his parents on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to long-term alcohol problems.
During the six-day trial, the jury heard that Middleton was a violent alcoholic who had been convicted for attacking his mother and previous girlfriends in the past.
'Blood on hands'
Police had been called to the cottage before the pair were killed, after Iris became concerned for her husband.Police had been called to the cottage before the pair were killed, after Iris became concerned for her husband.
After officers left, Middleton had an argument with his parents because they had called the police.After officers left, Middleton had an argument with his parents because they had called the police.
'Blood on hands'
He then picked up a four-inch square granite block from the fireplace and allegedly attacked his mother, the court had heard.He then picked up a four-inch square granite block from the fireplace and allegedly attacked his mother, the court had heard.
"I walked over to the block, picked it up and was hitting my mum over the head with this granite block."I walked over to the block, picked it up and was hitting my mum over the head with this granite block.
"The next thing I remember was waking up fully-clothed with blood on my hands and clothes," Middleton told police."The next thing I remember was waking up fully-clothed with blood on my hands and clothes," Middleton told police.
"Then I went downstairs to the living room just to be confronted with my mum flopped down in a chair and dad slumped down in a chair and all the covers covered in blood," the jury was told."Then I went downstairs to the living room just to be confronted with my mum flopped down in a chair and dad slumped down in a chair and all the covers covered in blood," the jury was told.
Middleton was arrested after an armed stand-off with police.Middleton was arrested after an armed stand-off with police.