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Alan Greaves killing: Jonathan Bowling and Ashley Foster jailed Alan Greaves killing: Jonathan Bowling and Ashley Foster jailed
(35 minutes later)
Two men who killed a church organist on Christmas Eve in Sheffield have been jailed. A man who beat a church organist to death as he walked to a Christmas Eve service has been jailed for life.
Alan Greaves, 68, was attacked with a pickaxe handle as he walked to St Saviour's Church in High Green. Jonathan Bowling admitted attacking Alan Greaves with a pickaxe handle near St Saviour's Church in High Green.
Jonathan Bowling, 22, of Carwood Way, Pitsmoor, Sheffield, was told he would serve a minimum of 25 years for murder. Bowling, 22, who has a long history of violent offending, was told by a judge at Sheffield Crown Court he would serve a minimum of 25 years in prison.
Ashley Foster, 22, of Wesley Road, High Green was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter and was sentenced to nine years. Ashley Foster, 22, of Wesley Road, High Green was sentenced to nine years for manslaughter.
Before the sentencing at Sheffield Crown Court, the judge heard Bowling had an extensive history of violent offending dating back to when he was a teenager. He was cleared of murder on Thursday after a trial.
'Wonderfully pleased'
Mr Greaves's widow, Maureen, said she was "happy" with the sentences.
Outside court she said: "To think Ashley's got nine years is the very best we could have got in the circumstances of the manslaughter.
"To think that Jonathan's got 25 minimum and to think he'll probably never come out, I really am wonderfully pleased with the result."
Mr Greaves, 68, died in hospital three days after suffering head injuries in the attack.
Before the sentencing, prosecutor Robert Smith told the judge Bowling's previous convictions included an attack on a 36-year-old jogger when Bowling was 15.
The judge heard how Bowling was also convicted in his teens for brandishing a hammer when a police officer stopped him, threatening a woman with a hammer and headbutting a woman who complained because he was throwing snowballs at her window.