James Hughes, 67, was found guilty of murdering Harold Turner, 68, by repeatedly hitting him with his walking stick and sitting on him at their sheltered accommodation block in St Asaph on Christmas Day
A retired jeweller killed his neighbour during a heated noise row in their sheltered housing complex while capturing the entire incident on a dictaphone. James Hughes, 67, killed Harold Turner, 68, by striking him repeatedly with his walking stick and sitting on top of him after Mr Turner – who was already frail due to serious health problems – had confronted him and made threats just moments earlier.
Hughes, who declined to appear at his sentencing hearing and stayed in his cell, pleaded not guilty to murder and manslaughter but was convicted of murder by a jury last month. Crucial prosecution evidence during the trial came from a dictaphone device Hughes used to record the entire incident at the Old Palace Flats in St Asaph, North Wales on Christmas Day morning last year.
During Hughes’ sentencing hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court on Thursday afternoon, the court was told how Mr Turner and Hughes resided next to each other in the complex. There had been tensions between the two men for a considerable period, with Mr Turner making complaints about noise coming from Hughes, including banging on walls and rails and disturbances during the night.
During sentencing, Judge Nicklin stated: “During the night of Christmas Eve and into Christmas morning, Mr Turner was angry and distressed. At 5.15am on Christmas morning he left a voicemail for the defendant saying: ‘I want you to f*** off, that’s what I want. I’m going to make you f*** off and I am going to get you. You’re mine, you’re f***** with the wrong person. Good night, sleep tight.'”, reports Wales Online.
“There is further evidence of threatening conduct by Mr Turner that morning. Neil Jones recorded footage in which Mr Turner used abusive and threatening language, threatening to knock the defendant out, and said: ‘If you go for it I’ll go for you any time.'”.
“The defendant called North Wales Police twice that morning; once at 8.47am, when he said Mr Turner had been banging on his door since 11pm and had been shouting and arguing, and at 9.04am when the defendant called again and played the call handler the voicemail message left by Mr Turner.”
The judge went on to say: “At 11.03am Mr Turner left a voicemail on the community house manager’s phone saying he was at the end of his tether and at breaking point and he was going to hurt somebody. Later that morning a physical altercation between the defendant and Mr Turner occurred outside the defendant’s flat.
“I proceed on the basis Mr Turner began that physical altercation and that is significant. The defendant did not go looking for violence that day. The confrontation took place outside the defendant’s flat after he had called the police and after threats had been made by Mr Turner.
“By way of the jury’s verdict either he did not believe the force he used was necessary or the force he used was not reasonable in the circumstances. The central piece of evidence was the dictaphone recording which captured Mr Turner saying: ‘Get off me, I can’t breathe.'”.
“The defendant refused to get off him and said: ‘What a f****** shame, do you want me to hurt you again? You can f****** die for all I care, I don’t give a f***.'”.
Following the incident, it was reported that Hughes returned to his flat, switched on the radio and made himself a hot drink. He then phoned his nephew some time after the altercation – during which the dictaphone continued to record him.
On the device, Hughes could be heard telling his nephew: “I think I may have killed someone.”
When Hughes finally dialled for an ambulance, he informed emergency call handlers that he suspected Mr Turner might have suffered a heart attack. He stated: “I hit him with my stick and he fell and he banged himself against the window.”
A post-mortem examination determined that Mr Turner died due to asphyxia and had sustained blunt force trauma to his face and head.
In mitigation, Gordon Cole KC, representing Hughes, stated his client had been the victim of serious crime in South Africa on multiple occasions and was not in good physical health. The barrister revealed Hughes had phoned the police twice on Christmas Day morning seeking help.
Mr Cole suggested his client, who had no prior convictions, would “serve the remaining years of his life in prison” due to his health condition.
Judge Nicklin sentenced Hughes to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 13 years. A total of 185 days spent on remand in custody will be deducted from his sentence.
He noted the incident hadn’t been a case of premeditated murder but that Hughes had disregarded Mr Turner’s pleas for him to get off him. The judge described Hughes’ reaction as “angry, callous and cruel”.
Following the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Eleri Thomas, of North Wales Police, commented: “This was a senseless murder which was borne out of a dispute between two retired neighbours.
“Through his persistent, antagonistic actions, James Hughes drove Mr Turner to a confrontation at the door of his flat, and despite Mr Turner’s pleas that he couldn’t breathe, Hughes continued to sit on his chest and proceeded to strike his head with his walking stick.
“His recording of the attack and subsequent conversations afterwards were damning as to his guilt, and while Mr Turner’s family may never be able fully comprehend why this tragic incident happened, I hope we have provided them with some form of justice and closure today.”