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| Isle of Wight murder: Jonathan Stasiuk jailed for Gerry White killing | Isle of Wight murder: Jonathan Stasiuk jailed for Gerry White killing |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A chainsaw-wielding chef who murdered an ex-councillor over a "trivial" feud has been jailed. | A chainsaw-wielding chef who murdered an ex-councillor over a "trivial" feud has been jailed. |
| Jonathan Stasiuk slashed 73-year-old Gerry White with the power tool before strangling him at the Lake Community Gardens on the Isle of Wight in May. | Jonathan Stasiuk slashed 73-year-old Gerry White with the power tool before strangling him at the Lake Community Gardens on the Isle of Wight in May. |
| The pair were trustees of the gardens and had argued over how they were run. | The pair were trustees of the gardens and had argued over how they were run. |
| Stasiuk, 60, admitted murder part-way through his trial at Southampton Crown Court. He was jailed for life with a minimum of 25 years. | Stasiuk, 60, admitted murder part-way through his trial at Southampton Crown Court. He was jailed for life with a minimum of 25 years. |
| He had initially pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. | He had initially pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. |
| The court heard a statement from Lee White, the victim's widow, which said her husband had not deserved to die. | The court heard a statement from Lee White, the victim's widow, which said her husband had not deserved to die. |
| She added: "Knowing what he went through is hard to bear. Life has changed and can never be normal again." | |
| Judge Christopher Parker QC told Stasiuk, of Sandown, his use of an "especially vicious weapon" was an aggravating factor. | Judge Christopher Parker QC told Stasiuk, of Sandown, his use of an "especially vicious weapon" was an aggravating factor. |
| "You took [the chainsaw] intending at that time to chop his legs off and to murder him," the judge said. | |
| "You had obsessed over your perceived, although relatively trivial, grievances that may not have any foundation whatsoever, to such an extent that you allowed them to build up into a form of hatred." | |
| The trial heard that Stasiuk, who had worked in pubs run by his victim, had a "festering dispute" with Mr White. | The trial heard that Stasiuk, who had worked in pubs run by his victim, had a "festering dispute" with Mr White. |
| Stasiuk developed an "entrenched hatred" of Mr White, who served as a Conservative councillor on the island for four years, over "a number of grievances", the court was told. | Stasiuk developed an "entrenched hatred" of Mr White, who served as a Conservative councillor on the island for four years, over "a number of grievances", the court was told. |
| Giving evidence, Stasiuk told jurors he believed his partner had been bullied by his fellow gardens trustee and accused him of using the site as a "dumping ground" for his business. | Giving evidence, Stasiuk told jurors he believed his partner had been bullied by his fellow gardens trustee and accused him of using the site as a "dumping ground" for his business. |
| He said following Mr White to the gardens with a chainsaw had felt "like a movie" and initially claimed he had no control over his actions. | He said following Mr White to the gardens with a chainsaw had felt "like a movie" and initially claimed he had no control over his actions. |
| Mr White had been a councillor until 2013 and was the landlord of two pubs. | Mr White had been a councillor until 2013 and was the landlord of two pubs. |
| His son Des said it was a "bitter irony" that his father had been killed by someone he had employed at both his businesses and at the communal garden charity. | His son Des said it was a "bitter irony" that his father had been killed by someone he had employed at both his businesses and at the communal garden charity. |
| "Jon was one of many people that dad had helped throughout his life," he said. | "Jon was one of many people that dad had helped throughout his life," he said. |
| "He encouraged people to do things for themselves and led by example. It's a sad end for a man that still had so much left to offer life." | "He encouraged people to do things for themselves and led by example. It's a sad end for a man that still had so much left to offer life." |