Man jailed for life for 'brutal' Lancing house attack murder

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-42083672

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A man has been given a life sentence for the murder of a 52-year-old who was fatally wounded at his home in West Sussex.

Alan Creasey was found with minor injuries by police officers at his home in Ingleside Crescent, Lancing, on 29 May following reports of a disturbance.

When they returned an hour later he had a fresh fatal head wound.

Duncan Hearsey, 44, was convicted at Lewes Crown Court and told he will spend a minimum of 21 years in prison.

Hearsey, of Harbour Road in Shoreham, had claimed he was acting in self defence saying Mr Creasey had threatened him with a paint-stripping knife.

On the day of the attack police had received reports of a drunk and disorderly man matching Hearsey's description at two pubs and a kebab shop in Lancing, Sussex Police said.

At 20:15 BST Mr Creasey dialled 999 and told police an unknown man, matching Hearsey's description had turned up at his home and was demanding £40 for a gardening job.

At around the same time, officers had been diverted from the search for Hearsey to respond to a Lancing railway station where a man had had a cardiac arrest.

Mr Creasey was told by police to lock his doors, and they left to search for Hearsey.

'Brutal injuries'

When they returned to Mr Creasey's home at about 21:10 they found the rear patio doors open and Mr Creasey was lying face down on the floor. He died early the following morning.

Hearsey was arrested at his flat in Shoreham and charged with his murder.

A forensic examination of Hearsey's flat was carried out and a pair of jeans stained with Mr Creasey's blood was found hanging from a nearby tree. His bike was found at a neighbouring flat.

Det Ch Insp Till Sanderson, said: "While Hearsey may not have set out that day with the intention of killing Mr Creasey, it is undeniable that the brutal injuries he inflicted led to his death.

"Hearsey claims he acted in self-defence, however the relentlessness of his attack suggests otherwise - Mr Creasey sustained multiple injuries which were consistent with being repeatedly kicked or stamped on."