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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Thomas Baird trial: James Carbott guilty of murder and arson | Thomas Baird trial: James Carbott guilty of murder and arson |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A man who beat and stabbed his ex-partner's father before setting his body alight has been found guilty of murder and arson. | A man who beat and stabbed his ex-partner's father before setting his body alight has been found guilty of murder and arson. |
| Thomas Baird, 63, was found dead on 2 March last year outside his home in Westerdale, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. | Thomas Baird, 63, was found dead on 2 March last year outside his home in Westerdale, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. |
| James Carbott, 31, of Epping Green, Hemel Hempstead, was found guilty at St Albans Crown Court of both charges. | |
| He will be sentenced by the court at a later date. | He will be sentenced by the court at a later date. |
| The trial heard firefighters discovered Mr Baird's body outside his burning bungalow, where he lived alone, and called the police. | The trial heard firefighters discovered Mr Baird's body outside his burning bungalow, where he lived alone, and called the police. |
| 'Dead or dying' | 'Dead or dying' |
| A post-mortem examination revealed he had suffered multiple stab wounds, injuries to the head and his body and he had been set alight. | A post-mortem examination revealed he had suffered multiple stab wounds, injuries to the head and his body and he had been set alight. |
| Jurors were told Carbott had been in a relationship with Mr Baird's daughter Kelly and worked for him for about three months. | Jurors were told Carbott had been in a relationship with Mr Baird's daughter Kelly and worked for him for about three months. |
| But it was said the friendship changed when the defendant's relationship with Ms Baird ended "acrimoniously". | But it was said the friendship changed when the defendant's relationship with Ms Baird ended "acrimoniously". |
| The court heard her father, Mr Baird, had threatened Carbott with violence and warned he would damage the home he shared with his mother. | |
| As a result, the court heard Carbott attacked the builder with a crowbar and knife, before setting fire to his body while he was either "dead or dying". | |
| The court heard Carbott had an autistic spectrum disorder and suffered from anxiety and depression after being attacked in 2007. | |
| His defence barrister argued he had acted in self-defence or was guilty of manslaughter, because he was suffering from diminished responsibility and had a temporary loss of control. | |
| Det Insp John Arthur, of Hertfordshire Police, said: "Thomas was the victim of a horrific and sustained attack and Carbott lied in an attempt to cover his tracks." | |
| Mr Baird's daughter and Carbott's ex-partner Kelly Baird said her father had been "devoted" to his family, adding they would "never recover from this tragedy". | |
| Judge Andrew Bright QC said Carbott would receive a mandatory life sentence when he returns to court. |