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Escaped prisoner guilty of murder | Escaped prisoner guilty of murder |
(30 minutes later) | |
An escaped prisoner who strangled a 73-year-old man while on the run has been convicted of murder. | |
Terrence O'Keefe, 39, had denied strangling David Kemp with a belt at his home in Malakoff Close, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, in March 2008. | Terrence O'Keefe, 39, had denied strangling David Kemp with a belt at his home in Malakoff Close, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, in March 2008. |
O'Keefe, who was being held at a secure unit, escaped from a London hospital in February 2008 by slipping his guard after undergoing treatment. | O'Keefe, who was being held at a secure unit, escaped from a London hospital in February 2008 by slipping his guard after undergoing treatment. |
The jury at Norwich Crown Court returned a 10-2 majority verdict. | The jury at Norwich Crown Court returned a 10-2 majority verdict. |
Sentencing will take place later. | Sentencing will take place later. |
The jury had been told that O'Keefe stole Mr Kemp's television to raise money for drugs before killing him to prevent him speaking to police. | The jury had been told that O'Keefe stole Mr Kemp's television to raise money for drugs before killing him to prevent him speaking to police. |
Pornographic video | Pornographic video |
While on the run O'Keefe, thought to be from Liverpool, travelled to the Republic of Ireland and back to Great Yarmouth, jurors had heard. | |
Police initially suspected Mr Kemp had killed himself in "some kind of auto-erotic scenario" as the cover of a pornographic video was found near the body, although his television and video tape were missing. | Police initially suspected Mr Kemp had killed himself in "some kind of auto-erotic scenario" as the cover of a pornographic video was found near the body, although his television and video tape were missing. |
The court heard that about a month after the killing an associate of O'Keefe's contacted police and told them that O'Keefe had confessed to the crime. | The court heard that about a month after the killing an associate of O'Keefe's contacted police and told them that O'Keefe had confessed to the crime. |
O'Keefe was serving a sentence for several offences including robbery at the time of his escape, the court heard. | O'Keefe was serving a sentence for several offences including robbery at the time of his escape, the court heard. |
He was being held at a secure unit at Lambeth Hospital and escaped while being treated at King's College Hospital, both in London. | He was being held at a secure unit at Lambeth Hospital and escaped while being treated at King's College Hospital, both in London. |
Unreserved apology | |
In a statement, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), responsible for Lambeth Hospital, said after the verdict: "We would like to offer our sincere condolences to all those affected by Mr David Kemp's death. | |
"Terrence O'Keefe absconded from an acute hospital, where he had been taken for medical treatment, while under escort by our staff. It should not have happened - and we apologise for that unreservedly. | |
"Immediately after the incident and since, we initiated major improvements and have strengthened the arrangements for transferring medium secure unit patients to acute hospital for treatment. | |
"Changes we have made include increasing the escort to as many as four staff per patient. | |
"We are also piloting the use of an electronic tracking system for the first time within the UK mental health system." |