Man Convicted of Third Murder 22 Years After Double Homicide

Brian Whitelock, who was previously incarcerated for the 2001 killings of two men, one of whom was his brother, has now been convicted of murdering his neighbour. Wendy Buckney, a retired horse riding instructor, became Whitelock’s third victim when she was killed by him in August 2022 in Clydach, Swansea county. At Swansea Crown Court, evidence was presented that Whitelock employed a knife, a table leg, and shelving components in the killing of Ms Buckney. The jury deliberated for under half an hour to reach its decision regarding Whitelock, whom police characterized as a “monster.” The jury withdrew to consider its verdict shortly after 15:00 GMT, with Mr Justice Griffiths instructing them: “Take all the time you want… you are under no pressure.” Their deliberation lasted approximately 15 minutes. Whitelock’s sentencing is scheduled for 20 December, at which time Mr Justice Griffiths stated: “There is only one sentence for murder and that is life, but we have to set a minimum term.” Whitelock had previously confessed to the manslaughter of Ms Buckney in August 2022, citing diminished responsibility, but he had pleaded not guilty to murder. The two individuals were neighbours, and Ms Buckney, aged 71, had hired the defendant for various tasks at her residence. The court was informed that Ms Buckney’s family had expressed worries about him working for her, but she had responded to them by saying: “Everyone deserves a second chance.” A 999 emergency call recording captured the defendant describing his victim as “the nicest person in the world,” and stating: “I just snapped, there’s no reason I killed her.” Chris Rees KC, the prosecuting barrister, asserted that Mrs Buckney “must have suffered greatly” as a result of “multiple blunt and sharp force injuries.” He further noted that the number of stab wounds was too extensive for the pathologist to precisely enumerate. The defendant received a conviction in 2001 for the killings of two men that occurred the preceding year, one of whom was his brother. He had been released from incarceration following a life sentence. Mr Rees detailed that Whitelock killed 34-year-old Nicky Morgan using either a pick axe or a hammer following an argument exacerbated by alcohol and drugs. Subsequently, Whitelock proceeded to a nearby garage, came back with a jerry can of petrol, which he then poured over Morgan and ignited. His brother, Glenn, who was asleep upstairs, succumbed to smoke inhalation. Relatives of another victim of Whitelock expressed that they “knew he would kill again.” Melanie Huxley, Nicky Morgan’s sister, stated that he “should never be released from prison.” Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Davies, who headed the inquiry, characterized Whitelock as a “monster.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.