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Life term for headless body pair | |
(about 19 hours later) | |
A father and son who murdered and decapitated a traveller whose body was found in Hertfordshire have been jailed for life. | |
The headless and handless body of 42-year-old John Finney was discovered in Ickleford in March 2008. | The headless and handless body of 42-year-old John Finney was discovered in Ickleford in March 2008. |
Norman Jones, 50, of Dukes Head Yard, Highgate, London, was ordered to serve at least 33 years behind bars. | |
Joseph Jones, 23, of Crescent Road, New Barnet, was told at St Albans Crown Court that he must serve 30 years. | |
They were found guilty of his murder after what the prosecution said was probably a row over drugs. | |
The prosecution said Mr Finney, whose head and hands have never been found, was interrogated at an industrial unit in Hitchin, killed and his body dismembered. | The prosecution said Mr Finney, whose head and hands have never been found, was interrogated at an industrial unit in Hitchin, killed and his body dismembered. |
Telephone threats | |
Detectives pieced together what happened from calls on mobile phones and DNA evidence. | Detectives pieced together what happened from calls on mobile phones and DNA evidence. |
Mr Finney was said to have told friends about threatening phone calls he had received. | Mr Finney was said to have told friends about threatening phone calls he had received. |
These were later traced to a phone used by Joseph Jones. | These were later traced to a phone used by Joseph Jones. |
The court heard both men fled to Spain after the murder but were extradited to the UK and arrested on 1 May, 2008. | The court heard both men fled to Spain after the murder but were extradited to the UK and arrested on 1 May, 2008. |
Michael Wolkind QC, for Joseph Jones said he had "played the part of a very obedient son". | |
He said: "The law does not provide an automatic defence for the young, weak or scared." | |
The judge, Mr Justice Macduff said: "You both took full part in a wicked enterprise. It was wicked and evil behaviour." | |
He said Norman Jones was the "lynch pin" in the enterprise who had made the "cold and calculating decision to do away with another human being". | |
The judge said he was "close to tears" after reading a family impact statement from the dead man's father. | |
He ordered the forfeiture of Norman Jones' Range Rover. He also ordered that £21,000 seized from Norman Jones and £3,300 seized from Joseph Jones should be used to pay court costs. |
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