A Spalding man who murdered a father-of-five and then portrayed himself as a hero after setting fire to the victim’s home was today (Friday) jailed for life.
Samuel Church, 37, of Acacia Avenue, was told he will have to serve a minimum period of 20 years in jail before he is eligible to apply for parole.
Lincoln Crown Court heard Church violently stamped on the victim Vincent Markham, 52, and then set fire to Mr Markham’s bungalow in Farrow Road, Whaplode Drove.
Prosecution barrister Katherine Goddard KC said Church had admitted murder on a basis that he did not intend to kill Mr Markham and then returned to set fire to his home “in panic.”
The basis of plea was read out by Miss Goddard, in which Church explained that he had known Mr Markham since primary school and they had later become friends, repairing cars together, before falling out.
On the night of the murder, Miss Goddard said Church was attending a wedding at the Elizabethan Centre, near to Mr Markham’s home, and despite being intoxicated decided to visit him to “sort things out.”
Miss Goodard said Church was overheard saying that he was “going to beat up” the person he was going to stay with.
“A clear indication of some premeditated violence towards Mr Markham,” Miss Goddard added.
In his basis of plea Church said things went well when he arrived at Mr Markham’s home and the pair even shook hands – but for some reason events turned for the worse.
Church said the pair scuffled, and he admitted losing his temper when Mr Markham tried to grab his leg.
Miss Goddard told the court: “Mr Church said he stamped on his head, face and body.”
Church said he did not intend to kill Mr Markham but became quite certain that he was dead and in a panic decided the only thing he could do was to set fire to the property.
Neighbours who saw the blaze found Mr Markham in the front garden and Church, who had suffered burns, was located on the junction with Broadgate.
A lighter which was believed to have started at least two fires at Mr Markham’s home was found by police.
A Home Office pathologist concluded that Mr Markham had died before the fire in his home.
“The cause of Mr Markham’s death was head and facial injuries and the inhalation of blood into his lungs,” Miss Goddard said.
“Mr Markham suffered significant injuries,” Miss Goddard added.
“The setting of the fires was intended to conceal the real cause of death,” she argued.
Victim personal statements from members of Mr Markham’s family were read out in court.
In a letter addressed to the court his eldest daughter explained how the family felt “robbed” of their dad and grandad.
“My dad had five children and words can not explain what having our dad murdered has done to us,” she explained.
“Not only was our dad murdered but his home was burnt to the ground with all his possessions which had sentimental memories for us.”
Church had been due to stand trial at Lincoln Crown Court in February last year after previously pleading not guilty to murdering Mr Markham.
Before his trial began Church entered a guilty plea to murdering Mr Markham and a second charge of perverting public justice by setting a fire at the property.
But Church later failed in a bid to vacate his guilty plea to murder, which the prosecution argued had delayed his sentencing for nearly 12 months.
Mr Markham’s family explained that the efforts by Church to vacate his guilty plea to murder had “taken a huge toll” on everyone.
The court heard Church had previous convictions for violence but had not been to jail before.
Francis Fitzgibbon KC, mitigating for Church, said it was accepted that Church intended to cause serious harm to Mr Markham rather than to kill him.
Mr Fitzgibbon said Church had been examined by a psychiatrist and asked for his ADHD and personality disorders to be taken into account.
“The talk earlier in the evening looks like premeditation, but there was an interval, and there may have been another trigger,” Mr Fitzgibbon argued.
Passing sentence Judge Simon Hirst said Church had shown a degree of insight into his offending by contacting a former girlfriend afterwards and telling her “you wouldn’t want to know someone like me.”
Judge Hirst told the court Church had also shown a degree of premeditation during the evening.
“This was a man who told people earlier in the evening that he was going to inflict violence.”
“Within his home you murdered Mr Markham,” Judge Hirst told Church, highlighting the ferocity of his attack left footwear marks on his victim.
Judge Hirst said Church then set fires in two bedrooms and dragged Mr Markham into the front garden.
“You portrayed yourself as a hero telling members of the public that you had rescued Mr Markham,” Judge Hirst added.
Judge Hirst told Church the family of Mr Markham had also been forced to change their plans by his attempt to his vacate his plea.
Judge Hirst also imposed a concurrent sentence of 45 months imprisonment for the second charge of perverting public justice.
Detective Inspector Adrian Czajkowski, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: “The attack that Vincent Markham suffered was brutal and Church tried to cover his tracks by setting fire to his home to make it look like an accident.
“These two men were known to one another and although the motive was not clear, we believe that an ongoing feud may have led to the attack.
“This was a very tragic incident and our thoughts are with Mr Markham’s family. We hope today’s result brings some closure to the family.”
