Convicted killer, 57, guilty of murdering neighbour as he told jury he hoped they 'suffer a brain injury' following verdict

27 November 2024, 16:40

A convicted murderer who killed neighbour but claimed he 'cannot remember' the incident has been found guilty of her murder.

Brian Whitelock, 57, was found guilty of murdering his retired neighbour, 71-year-old Wendy Buckney in a sustained attacked with a kitchen knife, broken table leg and wooden shelving unit.

Whitelock had previously been sentenced to 18 years in prison for the torture and murder of two men, including his own brother, in 2001 before being released in 2018.

Horse riding instructor Ms Buckney's bloodstained body was found naked in the living room of her Clydach home, near Swansea, south Wales, in August 2022.

Whitelock had denied murder, pleading guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter by diminished responsibility claiming his actions were caused by a severe brain injury.

The jury at Swansea Crown Court took just 30 minutes to find Whitelock guilty of murder.

As the verdict was read out, Whitelock shouted from the dock that he hoped the jury "suffer a brain injury" and was immediately escorted from the court.

Mr Justice Griffiths apologised to the jury for the "disgraceful behaviour", promising them they were safe.

Whitelock, of Clydach, had represented himself throughout the trial.

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Standing in the dock, Whitelock had previously claimed he had suffered a head injury several weeks prior to the murder while fishing.

He claimed he had "no idea" why he was at Ms Buckney's home on the day of the attack.

The court heard how the riding instructor was a "charitable" individual who would gave him odd jobs to help his rehabilitation following his release from prison.

"It's horrible what's happened, it's absolutely horrific - what I have done, what I have caused somehow," he added during the trial.

"I don't know what else I can say - I'm sorry - I can't forgive myself, I don't think I will ever come to terms with what's happened, I expect to spend the rest of my life in jail, I deserve to," Whitelock told the court.

"Why did I do that to someone, to anyone, to Wendy, someone who was so nice to me? To do that to anyone at all is horrific.

"He added he didn't "know whether [he had] done it" but that he was "accepting [his] fate".

According to the defendant, the injury led to memory loss and days without sleep in the run-up to the attack.

Swansea crown court heard Buckney was loved by her 16 nieces and nephews, alongside her two adult stepchildren, teaching "hundreds of children" how to ride horses.

The jury has previously heard Whitelock was released from prison in 2018 after serving a life sentence for murder and manslaughter in 2001.

Whitelock said he was "not answering any more questions about a trial that happened 24 years ago".

"What happened 24 years ago has no relevance to this trial," he added, while he accused the prosecution of trying to "tie [him] in knots".

Christopher Rees KC, prosecuting, said Whitelock’s previous convictions showed a “propensity to use explosive and disproportionate violence”, especially under the influence of drugs.

Whitelock will be sentenced on 20 December.