Peter McMahon death: Two jailed for freezer body murder

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-23461260

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Two people have been jailed for life for the murder of a pensioner whose body they dumped in a chest freezer before plundering his bank account.

Peter McMahon, 68, was found in a flat in Newcastle in December. He had suffered a number of injuries, including gouging to his eyes.

Sharon Swinhoe, 44, was ordered to serve a minimum term of 25 years by the judge at Newcastle Crown Court.

Joseph Collins, 54, was handed a minimum term of 20 years.

Both had denied murder but were found guilty. They were also convicted of perverting the course of justice.

Ronald Douglas was jailed for four years after admitting perverting the course of justice.

The 77-year-old, of Gateshead, was cleared of murder.

Mr McMahon, a former civil servant, was last seen alive on 18 October last year when he took a taxi to the home of Swinhoe, with whom he had been having a relationship.

His body was found six weeks later in the chest freezer in Collins's flat.