Adrian Munday death: Stuart Hodgkin jailed for life for murder

A man has been jailed for life for murdering and setting fire to a vulnerable person in a "savage" attack.

Stuart Hodgkin, of Stockbridge Road, Winchester, was sentenced on Tuesday at Exeter Crown Court over the death of Adrian Munday, who was beaten to death in his home in Devon last year.

Hodgkin, 41, had denied the murder, but was found guilty on Monday.

Judge Graham Cottle said "not content with killing" Mr Munday, Hodgkin had chosen to "set fire to his body".

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"There were two seriously aggravating features. The first was that Adrian Munday was a very vulnerable individual. The second was you made a determined effort to dispose of or disfigure his body by setting fire to it."

Describing Hodgkin as "a career criminal" with an "appetite for drugs and alcohol", Judge Cottle said it was clear he had been stealing money from Mr Munday and eventually forced him to "sell his precious coin collection".

The court heard that Hodgkin had incurable cancer, with up to seven months left to live, meaning he would almost certainly die in prison.

In the weeks prior to "his evil crime", Hodgkin manipulated Mr Munday, taking over his home in Wain Lane, Newton Abbot, and robbing him of his money and possessions, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

Det Ch Insp Mike West said Mr Munday had received injuries all over his body including 20 rib fractures, broken toes, and significant head and brain injuries which led to his death.

In a statement his family said they were "devastated by the callous and brutal murder" of Mr Munday, whom they believed had "suffered emotional torment" before his death.

A witness at the trial, Ziggy Fakih, was also jailed on Thursday for 14 days, after he was found to be in contempt of court.

The 28-year-old, of no fixed abode, refused to give evidence despite having met both men, saying he had "seen what happens to grasses in prison".