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Stephen Seddon given life for murdering parents in Sale | Stephen Seddon given life for murdering parents in Sale |
(35 minutes later) | |
A man who shot his parents dead after trying to kill them by driving a car into a canal has been jailed for life. | A man who shot his parents dead after trying to kill them by driving a car into a canal has been jailed for life. |
Stephen Seddon, of Benevente Street, Seaham, drove to his parents' home in Sale, Greater Manchester, last July to kill them and claim inheritance. | Stephen Seddon, of Benevente Street, Seaham, drove to his parents' home in Sale, Greater Manchester, last July to kill them and claim inheritance. |
He was convicted of two counts of murder and attempted murder at Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday. | He was convicted of two counts of murder and attempted murder at Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday. |
The 46-year-old was given a life sentence for the murders with a minimum term of 40 years. | |
He was also given a sentence of 20 years for the attempted murders to run concurrently. | |
Seddon had tried to murder his father, Robert Seddon, 68, and mother, Patricia, 65, by driving into the canal with them strapped in the back seats in a faked road accident in March. | Seddon had tried to murder his father, Robert Seddon, 68, and mother, Patricia, 65, by driving into the canal with them strapped in the back seats in a faked road accident in March. |
Four months later, he killed the couple with a sawn-off shotgun at their house. | Four months later, he killed the couple with a sawn-off shotgun at their house. |
Sentencing him, Judge Nicholas Hamblen said Seddon had been involved in a "continuum of crime culminating in the cold-blooded killing of a quiet, unassuming, elderly couple in their own home". | |
Seddon shouted at the judge that he was "an innocent man", to which the judge replied that he should "keep quiet". | |
'Monster' son | 'Monster' son |
Mr Justice Hamblen said Seddon's attempt to murder his parents had meant they "not only had to endure a terrifying, life-threatening experience but they also suffered consequent sleeplessness, nightmares, depression and stress". | |
"The reason for the attempted murders and the murders was greed," he said. | "The reason for the attempted murders and the murders was greed," he said. |
"You needed money. You had lost your job. You had a mortgage. You had a family to support. You had some grand plans. | "You needed money. You had lost your job. You had a mortgage. You had a family to support. You had some grand plans. |
"Despite the fact that your parents had always been very generous in supporting you, you wanted more and you wanted it now - hence the plan to kill them and get your inheritance up front." | "Despite the fact that your parents had always been very generous in supporting you, you wanted more and you wanted it now - hence the plan to kill them and get your inheritance up front." |
Mr Justice Hamblen told Seddon that "in effect, you executed your own parents". | Mr Justice Hamblen told Seddon that "in effect, you executed your own parents". |
"One can only imagine the horror of your parents' last moments in this life when they realised what a monster their own son, who they loved, had become," he said. | "One can only imagine the horror of your parents' last moments in this life when they realised what a monster their own son, who they loved, had become," he said. |
"Mercifully, their deaths were swift." | "Mercifully, their deaths were swift." |
Speaking after sentencing in a statement read out by police, relatives of Mr and Mrs Seddon said it had been a "very sad and emotional time for our family". | |
"The shock of having both Pat and Bob taken from us in such horrifying and tragic circumstances has left us feeling numb. | |
"Pat and Bob were a kind, loving and selfless couple who will be missed." |
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