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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Driver guilty of murdering boss | Driver guilty of murdering boss |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A lorry driver has been found guilty of murdering his boss and trying to kill three other men after tying them up and dousing them with petrol in the office. | A lorry driver has been found guilty of murdering his boss and trying to kill three other men after tying them up and dousing them with petrol in the office. |
| Russell Carter, 52, of Rumney, Cardiff, killed Kingsley Monk and tried to kill three staff at Driverline 247 in New Inn, Pontypool, in October last year. | Russell Carter, 52, of Rumney, Cardiff, killed Kingsley Monk and tried to kill three staff at Driverline 247 in New Inn, Pontypool, in October last year. |
| Newport Crown Court was told the men underwent a "terrifying ordeal". | Newport Crown Court was told the men underwent a "terrifying ordeal". |
| It can now be disclosed that Carter had two previous convictions for armed robbery in the United States. | It can now be disclosed that Carter had two previous convictions for armed robbery in the United States. |
| Carter had denied the charges, claiming manslaughter due to diminished responsibility. | Carter had denied the charges, claiming manslaughter due to diminished responsibility. |
| Outside court after his latest conviction, police said Carter was found guilty of armed robbery in the US in 1979 and 1985, in Utah and California respectively. | |
| Carter had dual US-UK citizenship and in 2000 came back to Britain, the country of his birth, having been released on parole from a 20-year prison sentence. | Carter had dual US-UK citizenship and in 2000 came back to Britain, the country of his birth, having been released on parole from a 20-year prison sentence. |
| But there was no formal system of alerting the UK authorities to his criminal past. | But there was no formal system of alerting the UK authorities to his criminal past. |
| Unlike EU member states, which are required to inform each other in such cases, no mechanism exists with the US. | Unlike EU member states, which are required to inform each other in such cases, no mechanism exists with the US. |
| In his latest crime, Carter throttled Mr Monk, probably with his own tie. A pathologist's report found he suffered pressure to the neck. | In his latest crime, Carter throttled Mr Monk, probably with his own tie. A pathologist's report found he suffered pressure to the neck. |
| He then set fire to the offices "to destroy all physical trace that could identify him" and to kill the three witnesses. | He then set fire to the offices "to destroy all physical trace that could identify him" and to kill the three witnesses. |
| The court was told that Mr Monk was throttled, probably with his own tie | The court was told that Mr Monk was throttled, probably with his own tie |
| The court was told that Carter went to the offices and at gunpoint tied up and gagged with duct tape Mr Monk, 45, and employees Robert Lewis, Nathan Taylor and Gethin Heal. | |
| The court heard he threw petrol over them, holding a cigarette lighter, and said: "I will kill you." | The court heard he threw petrol over them, holding a cigarette lighter, and said: "I will kill you." |
| Pointed gun | |
| Father-of-two Mr Monk was then taken into the main office away from the office where the three other staff were tied up. | Father-of-two Mr Monk was then taken into the main office away from the office where the three other staff were tied up. |
| The prosecution said the men underwent a "prolonged and terrifying ordeal" lasting four hours as Mr Carter sought to be paid £3,000 he claimed he was owed. | The prosecution said the men underwent a "prolonged and terrifying ordeal" lasting four hours as Mr Carter sought to be paid £3,000 he claimed he was owed. |
| Office worker Mr Heal was the first to arrive at work on the day and said Carter had entered the offices behind him. | Office worker Mr Heal was the first to arrive at work on the day and said Carter had entered the offices behind him. |
| When he turned around he said the defendant had pointed a gun at him and threatened to kill him unless he did what he said. | When he turned around he said the defendant had pointed a gun at him and threatened to kill him unless he did what he said. |
| The four men were assaulted and threatened at Driveline 247 | |
| "He also said that it was Kingsley that he wanted and not me," Mr Heal had told the court. | "He also said that it was Kingsley that he wanted and not me," Mr Heal had told the court. |
| He told the jury that at one point while he was tied around his wrists and feet and locked into the toilet of the premises, he could hear Mr Monk's screams coming from the main office. | He told the jury that at one point while he was tied around his wrists and feet and locked into the toilet of the premises, he could hear Mr Monk's screams coming from the main office. |
| "Kingsley was screaming for us to help him - it sounded like he was being pushed about, banged against a wall," he said. | "Kingsley was screaming for us to help him - it sounded like he was being pushed about, banged against a wall," he said. |
| "I heard a couple of bangs - I thought it was a gun and then I heard a muffled scream from Kingsley. | "I heard a couple of bangs - I thought it was a gun and then I heard a muffled scream from Kingsley. |
| "The sounds were haunting, it was terrible, I've never heard anything like that before." | "The sounds were haunting, it was terrible, I've never heard anything like that before." |
| He also told the court how Carter regularly checked on him. | He also told the court how Carter regularly checked on him. |
| He described how he heard Carter escape before hearing the sounds of a fire in the Driverline 247 office. | He described how he heard Carter escape before hearing the sounds of a fire in the Driverline 247 office. |
| He then struggled to free himself - and found Mr Monk's body on the office floor. | He then struggled to free himself - and found Mr Monk's body on the office floor. |
| Mr Heal and the two other workmates managed to escape the building before the fire spread. | Mr Heal and the two other workmates managed to escape the building before the fire spread. |
| Clubcard | Clubcard |
| Displaying what the prosecution called an "appearance of normality", Carter stopped at Tesco on the drive back to his home in Rumney, Cardiff. | Displaying what the prosecution called an "appearance of normality", Carter stopped at Tesco on the drive back to his home in Rumney, Cardiff. |
| CCTV footage shows him walking into the shop in St Mellons, topless under his jacket, where he bought shirts, shoes and some trousers. He even used his Tesco clubcard. | CCTV footage shows him walking into the shop in St Mellons, topless under his jacket, where he bought shirts, shoes and some trousers. He even used his Tesco clubcard. |
| Speaking before the trial, Det Chief Insp Paul Griffiths, the Gwent Police officer who led the investigation into Mr Monk's murder, said: "I believe at that point he thinks he has killed four people." | Speaking before the trial, Det Chief Insp Paul Griffiths, the Gwent Police officer who led the investigation into Mr Monk's murder, said: "I believe at that point he thinks he has killed four people." |
| Carter's wife Elizabeth and his daughter were oblivious to the violence he had unleashed. | Carter's wife Elizabeth and his daughter were oblivious to the violence he had unleashed. |
| He took the nine-year-old girl to buy a cuddly toy before the family went shopping in Asda later that day. | He took the nine-year-old girl to buy a cuddly toy before the family went shopping in Asda later that day. |