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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Man murdered wife in house fire | Man murdered wife in house fire |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A father-of-five has been found guilty of murder after locking his wife in a room and setting fire to their home. | A father-of-five has been found guilty of murder after locking his wife in a room and setting fire to their home. |
| Alan Stead, of Meynell Fields, Loggerheads, in Staffordshire, denied killing his wife, Anita, in May 2002. | Alan Stead, of Meynell Fields, Loggerheads, in Staffordshire, denied killing his wife, Anita, in May 2002. |
| She died in a room he built in the garage of their home used to hide a computer game counterfeiting operation, Stafford Crown Court heard. | She died in a room he built in the garage of their home used to hide a computer game counterfeiting operation, Stafford Crown Court heard. |
| Stead, arrested after police agreed to reopen the case, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years. | Stead, arrested after police agreed to reopen the case, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years. |
| Prosecutors alleged Stead wanted to kill his wife because she had told him she wanted a divorce. | Prosecutors alleged Stead wanted to kill his wife because she had told him she wanted a divorce. |
| 'Lie upon lie' | 'Lie upon lie' |
| During the trial, Mrs Stead's father Bert Whitehead, 82, said he had not been happy with the original police investigation and began his own enquiries, eventually handing six files to detectives. | During the trial, Mrs Stead's father Bert Whitehead, 82, said he had not been happy with the original police investigation and began his own enquiries, eventually handing six files to detectives. |
| Speaking outside court, he said he fought against a "bureaucratic wall" during his own investigation. | Speaking outside court, he said he fought against a "bureaucratic wall" during his own investigation. |
| "I am pleased with all the work I put in but it's so sad. I did not want this," he said. | "I am pleased with all the work I put in but it's so sad. I did not want this," he said. |
| Stead admitted lying to police about his efforts to rescue his wife | |
| "There is satisfaction but there is no satisfaction in the fact that the children are scarred for life now aren't they?" | "There is satisfaction but there is no satisfaction in the fact that the children are scarred for life now aren't they?" |
| The court heard Stead said he only found out about the blaze when he was woken by his two-year-old daughter, and described it as a "tragic accident". | The court heard Stead said he only found out about the blaze when he was woken by his two-year-old daughter, and described it as a "tragic accident". |
| The jury was told he was filmed by Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service leaving a neighbour's house 30 minutes after setting the house on fire. | The jury was told he was filmed by Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service leaving a neighbour's house 30 minutes after setting the house on fire. |
| Earlier in his trial, he admitted lying to police about his efforts to rescue his wife. | Earlier in his trial, he admitted lying to police about his efforts to rescue his wife. |
| He told the court he had exaggerated how thick the smoke was and he felt like he wanted to tell people he had tried harder than he did. | He told the court he had exaggerated how thick the smoke was and he felt like he wanted to tell people he had tried harder than he did. |
| Sentencing him, Mr Justice Astill said Stead planned his wife's murder "step-by-step", luring her into the computer room and locking her in before starting the fire. | Sentencing him, Mr Justice Astill said Stead planned his wife's murder "step-by-step", luring her into the computer room and locking her in before starting the fire. |
| "You piled lie upon lie and and said you had not been able to rescue her," he said. | "You piled lie upon lie and and said you had not been able to rescue her," he said. |
| "You lived that lie for years and it was only those who suspected you from the beginning that enabled justice to be done. | "You lived that lie for years and it was only those who suspected you from the beginning that enabled justice to be done. |
| "Your cruelty has shown no bounds." | "Your cruelty has shown no bounds." |
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| Alan Stead was filmed leaving a neighbours' house 30 minutes after killing his wife | Alan Stead was filmed leaving a neighbours' house 30 minutes after killing his wife |