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Carer killed man for inheritance Carer killed man for inheritance
(about 1 hour later)
A care worker and two men have been found guilty of murdering a disabled man in the hope of claiming thousands of pounds of his inheritance.A care worker and two men have been found guilty of murdering a disabled man in the hope of claiming thousands of pounds of his inheritance.
Greg Baker, 61, was found dead at his cottage in Alton, Staffordshire, in June last year after being suffocated.Greg Baker, 61, was found dead at his cottage in Alton, Staffordshire, in June last year after being suffocated.
It took a jury at Stafford Crown Court 12 hours to convict Thelma Purchase, 44, and her son Lance Rudge, 20, both of Sherwood Road, Meir, Stoke-on-Trent.It took a jury at Stafford Crown Court 12 hours to convict Thelma Purchase, 44, and her son Lance Rudge, 20, both of Sherwood Road, Meir, Stoke-on-Trent.
Shane Edge, 21, of Cliveden Place, Longton, was also convicted of murder.Shane Edge, 21, of Cliveden Place, Longton, was also convicted of murder.
Purchase, who was not at court for the verdict after falling ill, was found guilty of Mr Baker's murder, soliciting to murder and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Police officers described the murder as a "cowardly, callous contract-style killing motivated purely by greed".
Suffocated by pillow Purchase, who was not at court for the verdict after falling ill, was found guilty of Mr Baker's murder, and also soliciting to murder her ex-partner Kelvin Amos.
Rudge and Edge were both convicted of murder. 'Community figure'
The court heard how she had tried, and failed, to recruit someone to kill Mr Amos between 2003 and 2004 so she could benefit financially.
That evidence was uncovered by detectives investigating the Alton murder.
Purchase was also convicted of perverting the course of justice after she tried to stop a witness giving evidence.
Greg Baker's body was found by another carer on a routine visit
All three had denied the charges.All three had denied the charges.
The month-long trial heard how Purchase, who had cared for Mr Baker, had hoped to inherit a share of his cottage which he had requested in his will. The month-long trial heard how Purchase, who had cared for Mr Baker, had hoped to inherit a share of his cottage which he had bequested in his will.
She had denied knowing about this prior to his death. Mr Baker, who was left disabled by childhood polio and also suffered from muscular dystrophy, was found during a routine care visit on 16 June 2007.
Mr Baker, who was left disabled by childhood polio and also suffered from muscular dystrophy, was found suffocated by a pillow during a routine care visit on 16 June 2007. Police officers told the trial they believed Edge used a pillow to smother Mr Baker in his bedroom in the night after entering his home, which was often unlocked.
The court previously heard how Mr Baker had given Purchase £1,500 to buy a Citroen Saxo, which she later used to drive Edge to the cottage to kill him. 'Cowardly and callous'
Police officers told the trial they believed Edge used a pillow to smother Mr Baker in his bedroom during the night after entering his home, which was often left unlocked. The trial heard Purchase, a mother-of-three, had promised to pay both her son and his friend £8,000 each if they helped her carry out the murder.
'Substantial share'
The trial was told that Purchase, a mother-of-three, had promised to pay both her son and his friend £8,000 each if they helped her carry out the murder.
She enmeshed her own son and his friend in her wicked plan to rob and kill a helpless man who had befriended her Heather Chamberlain, of the Crown Prosecution Service
Mobile phone evidence linked Purchase to the Alton area at the time of the killing.Mobile phone evidence linked Purchase to the Alton area at the time of the killing.
The court also heard how Purchase first met Mr Baker when she worked as his main care worker and remained his friend after she stopped working for him several years ago. The court also heard how Purchase first met Mr Baker, described by police as a "well-known community figure", when she worked as his main care worker and they remained friends after she stopped working for him several years ago.
She had stood to inherit a "substantial share of Mr Baker's £74,000. She had stood to inherit a substantial share of Mr Baker's £74,000.
In the days following his death, Purchase told officers in a police interview that Mr Baker was a "lonely man" she saw as a father figure. She enmeshed her own son and his friend in her wicked plan to rob and kill a helpless man who had befriended her Heather Chamberlain, CPS
Outside court, Heather Chamberlain, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "This case was the story of a woman, who not for the first time, would not wait. After his death, Purchase told officers Mr Baker was a "lonely man" she saw as a father figure.
"She enmeshed her own son and his friend in her wicked plan to rob and kill a helpless man who had befriended her." Det Ch Insp Ken Raper said: "Although Mr Baker's quality of life was good, he depended upon other people to get him through each day.
All three defendants now face a mandatory life sentence for killing Mr Baker, and will be sentenced at a later date. "He was vulnerable and unable to defend himself. Purchase abused Mr Baker's trust and friendship and tried to distance herself from his murder by involving her son and Edge.
"This was a cowardly, callous contract-style killing motivated purely by greed."
'Totally defenceless'
Mr Baker's brother Tom Baker described the victim as a "gentleman, well-read, articulate and intelligent".
He said Greg had lived with their mother in Alton until her death in 1995 and had offered tutoring sessions to local children.
He added at the time of his death his brother was "totally defenceless".
Heather Chamberlain, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said Purchase "enmeshed her own son and his friend in her wicked plan to rob and kill a helpless man who had befriended her".
All three defendants now face a mandatory life sentence, and will be sentenced at a later date.