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| Brother of EastEnders actor Gemma McCluskie found guilty of her murder | Brother of EastEnders actor Gemma McCluskie found guilty of her murder |
| (30 days later) | |
| The brother of former EastEnders actor Gemma McCluskie has been found guilty of her murder. | The brother of former EastEnders actor Gemma McCluskie has been found guilty of her murder. |
| Tony McCluskie was found guilty by an 11-1 majority. He had previously admitted manslaughter. | Tony McCluskie was found guilty by an 11-1 majority. He had previously admitted manslaughter. |
| There were gasps and cries in the Old Bailey courtroom as the verdict was given but McCluskie stood emotionless in the dock. | There were gasps and cries in the Old Bailey courtroom as the verdict was given but McCluskie stood emotionless in the dock. |
| Gemma McCluskie's mutilated body was found floating in the Regent's canal in east London. | Gemma McCluskie's mutilated body was found floating in the Regent's canal in east London. |
| Tony McCluskie, a 36-year-old window cleaner and skunk cannabis smoker, claimed to have lost control after a tirade of abuse from his sister. | Tony McCluskie, a 36-year-old window cleaner and skunk cannabis smoker, claimed to have lost control after a tirade of abuse from his sister. |
| He said the last thing he remembered was her coming at him with a knife. | He said the last thing he remembered was her coming at him with a knife. |
| But the prosecution said he killed his 29-year-old sister after she lost patience with him and asked him to leave the flat in Pelter Street, Shoreditch, east London, where they both lived. | But the prosecution said he killed his 29-year-old sister after she lost patience with him and asked him to leave the flat in Pelter Street, Shoreditch, east London, where they both lived. |
| The final straw came when Tony McCluskie left taps running and a sink overflowed in March last year. | The final straw came when Tony McCluskie left taps running and a sink overflowed in March last year. |
| She was killed by being hit over the head at least twice, Her body was hacked into six pieces using a cleaver and a knife. | She was killed by being hit over the head at least twice, Her body was hacked into six pieces using a cleaver and a knife. |
| The next day, Tony McCluskie lugged a heavy suitcase to a local cab firm and was last seen taking it towards the canal. | The next day, Tony McCluskie lugged a heavy suitcase to a local cab firm and was last seen taking it towards the canal. |
| Gemma McCluskie's torso was found a week later when the case snapped open, and her limbs were found in black bags a week later. | Gemma McCluskie's torso was found a week later when the case snapped open, and her limbs were found in black bags a week later. |
| But her head was not found for six months when it too was discovered in the water. | But her head was not found for six months when it too was discovered in the water. |
| Gemma McCluskie, who played Kerry Skinner, the niece of Ethel Skinner, in the BBC soap in 2001, was immediately missed. | Gemma McCluskie, who played Kerry Skinner, the niece of Ethel Skinner, in the BBC soap in 2001, was immediately missed. |
| She was last seen attending the £650m opening of the new Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London. | She was last seen attending the £650m opening of the new Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London. |
| Tony McCluskie joined friends who launched extensive searches across east London to find her. | Tony McCluskie joined friends who launched extensive searches across east London to find her. |
| Former EastEnders co-stars Natalie Cassidy and Brooke Kinsella both appealed on Twitter for help. | Former EastEnders co-stars Natalie Cassidy and Brooke Kinsella both appealed on Twitter for help. |
| Gemma McCluskie's friend, Nicole McLaren, said she hugged Tony McCluskie because she felt sorry for him as they searched for her. | Gemma McCluskie's friend, Nicole McLaren, said she hugged Tony McCluskie because she felt sorry for him as they searched for her. |
| But, said Crispin Aylett QC, prosecuting, Tony McCluskie sent police on a wild goose chase after the actor was reported missing. | But, said Crispin Aylett QC, prosecuting, Tony McCluskie sent police on a wild goose chase after the actor was reported missing. |
| Aylett said: "For some time, there had been tension between Miss McCluskie and her brother. | Aylett said: "For some time, there had been tension between Miss McCluskie and her brother. |
| "Gemma told a friend: 'He's permanently stoned. He puts a spliff in his mouth first thing in the morning and doesn't know what he's doing'." | "Gemma told a friend: 'He's permanently stoned. He puts a spliff in his mouth first thing in the morning and doesn't know what he's doing'." |
| "On Thursday March 1 last year, McCluskie had got up, gone to the bathroom and forgotten the taps were on in the sink. | "On Thursday March 1 last year, McCluskie had got up, gone to the bathroom and forgotten the taps were on in the sink. |
| "Unsurprisingly, Miss McCluskie was exasperated by this. She had had enough. Later, while she was out, her friends heard her arguing on the telephone with her brother about what had happened. | "Unsurprisingly, Miss McCluskie was exasperated by this. She had had enough. Later, while she was out, her friends heard her arguing on the telephone with her brother about what had happened. |
| "It is clear that Gemma regarded this incident as the last straw and that she wanted the defendant to move out." | "It is clear that Gemma regarded this incident as the last straw and that she wanted the defendant to move out." |
| Aylett said the next day Tony McCluskie sent his sister a text pretending she was still alive and ending: "Love ya xx". | Aylett said the next day Tony McCluskie sent his sister a text pretending she was still alive and ending: "Love ya xx". |
| Gemma McCluskie was identified by a small tattoo of a bow on her body and later by dental records. | Gemma McCluskie was identified by a small tattoo of a bow on her body and later by dental records. |
| Tony McCluskie told police that his sister was seen in a local kebab shop after she went missing, and that she had visited their mother in hospital. | Tony McCluskie told police that his sister was seen in a local kebab shop after she went missing, and that she had visited their mother in hospital. |
| But scientists found blood in the bathroom and a blood-stained knife in the kitchen of the flat. | But scientists found blood in the bathroom and a blood-stained knife in the kitchen of the flat. |
| The court heard that Tony McCluskie received a series of hoax telephone calls following his sister's disappearance. | The court heard that Tony McCluskie received a series of hoax telephone calls following his sister's disappearance. |
| In the first call, the defendant was told that if he wanted to see his sister again he must take £2m to Benfleet International station. | In the first call, the defendant was told that if he wanted to see his sister again he must take £2m to Benfleet International station. |
| A second call was made requesting that he also bring $500-worth of Iraqi currency, before a third hoax call repeated the demand for £2m. | A second call was made requesting that he also bring $500-worth of Iraqi currency, before a third hoax call repeated the demand for £2m. |
| When the defendant asked to speak to his sister, the caller said Gemma McCluskie had been stripped of her clothes and was being kept in a locked room. | When the defendant asked to speak to his sister, the caller said Gemma McCluskie had been stripped of her clothes and was being kept in a locked room. |
| "The truth is that the defendant could not have believed his luck," Aylett said. | "The truth is that the defendant could not have believed his luck," Aylett said. |
| "The calls can only have added to the state of confusion as to Gemma's whereabouts." | "The calls can only have added to the state of confusion as to Gemma's whereabouts." |
| Police later traced the telephone calls to an address in Kent and arrested a man. | Police later traced the telephone calls to an address in Kent and arrested a man. |
| Tony McCluskie told the court: "She came up the stairs, she was shouting: 'Are you gonna go, are you gonna go, are you gonna go?'. | Tony McCluskie told the court: "She came up the stairs, she was shouting: 'Are you gonna go, are you gonna go, are you gonna go?'. |
| "I turned round and she was standing there with a knife in her hand. | "I turned round and she was standing there with a knife in her hand. |
| "I got very angry, I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. | "I got very angry, I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. |
| All I remember is just grabbing her wrists. After that I have no recollection." | All I remember is just grabbing her wrists. After that I have no recollection." |
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