Man Sentenced for Friend’s Murder at His Flat

An individual has been incarcerated following the murder of his terminally ill friend, an act that included photographing the deceased’s body at the friend’s residence. Leroy Lawrence, aged 46, “brutally killed” Craig Moult, 45, and subsequently stole Mr. Moult’s bank card and other possessions from his home located on Boldmere Close, Sutton Coldfield, on 1 September last year. According to West Midlands Police, Mr. Moult had “suffered more than 100 injuries and was left to die by someone he called a friend.” Lawrence, who has no fixed address, was convicted of Mr. Moult’s murder following a four-week trial and received a sentence of a minimum of 26 years in prison at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday. Lawrence, accompanied by another friend, had visited Mr. Moult’s flat overnight on 31 August. Surveillance footage indicated the other friend departed the subsequent afternoon, with Lawrence leaving three hours later. Officers stated that Mr. Moult was “violently attacked” during this period. His family discovered him deceased in his flat on 3 September. Lawrence, who surrendered to law enforcement, was held in custody. While there, he admitted his offense to a fellow inmate and disclosed that he had also taken Mr. Moult’s bank card, though an attempted transaction using it had been unsuccessful. A spokesperson for the police force stated: “He returned to Craig’s house two days after the attack and saw Craig dead. But instead of ringing emergency services, he stole more of Craig’s property and left. He also took photos on his mobile phone of his injuries.” In a separate incident, Lawrence was additionally convicted of one count of theft against a different victim the day following Mr. Moult’s murder, having stolen various items such as designer goods and jewellery. Chief Inspector Jim Mahon commented that Lawrence stole from an “innocent woman” before going back to Mr. Moult’s flat to take his possessions. Chief Inspector Mahon added: “He is a dangerous man and has shown no remorse for any of his horrific actions.” He further stated: “My thoughts are with Craig’s loved ones who have been forced to sit through a difficult trial.” In a statement of tribute, Mr. Moult’s family expressed that he was “still very much missed” and would “continue to be [missed] forever and always.” They conveyed: “To sit in court and listen to what Craig went through in his final moments has been heartbreaking to hear as a family.” The family added: “Craig was our son, brother and father and he did not deserve what he was put through.” For more updates, follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.