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| Stephen Seddon guilty of murdering parents in Sale | Stephen Seddon guilty of murdering parents in Sale |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A man has been found guilty of shooting his parents dead after failing to kill them by driving a car into a canal. | A man has been found guilty of shooting his parents dead after failing to kill them by driving a car into a canal. |
| Stephen Seddon, 46, of Benevente Street, Seaham, Durham, was convicted of two counts of murder and attempted murder at Manchester Crown Court. | Stephen Seddon, 46, of Benevente Street, Seaham, Durham, was convicted of two counts of murder and attempted murder at Manchester Crown Court. |
| The jury heard how last July Seddon drove to the home of his parents in Sale, Greater Manchester, to kill them in order to inherit £230,000. | The jury heard how last July Seddon drove to the home of his parents in Sale, Greater Manchester, to kill them in order to inherit £230,000. |
| Months earlier he was hailed a hero when they survived his car crashing. | Months earlier he was hailed a hero when they survived his car crashing. |
| Sawn-off shotgun | Sawn-off shotgun |
| Seddon had tried to murder his father, Robert Seddon, 68, and mother, Patricia, 65, by driving into the canal with them strapped in the back seats in a faked road accident. | Seddon had tried to murder his father, Robert Seddon, 68, and mother, Patricia, 65, by driving into the canal with them strapped in the back seats in a faked road accident. |
| Four months later he shot the couple to death with a sawn-off shotgun at their suburban home. | Four months later he shot the couple to death with a sawn-off shotgun at their suburban home. |
| Seddon showed no emotion in the dock as the jury returned its verdict following the five-week trial. | Seddon showed no emotion in the dock as the jury returned its verdict following the five-week trial. |
| There were cries of celebration from the dead couple's relatives in the public gallery as the verdict was read out. | There were cries of celebration from the dead couple's relatives in the public gallery as the verdict was read out. |
| Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, described Seddon as the ultimate "ungrateful son" who had an "insatiable thirst for cash". | Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, described Seddon as the ultimate "ungrateful son" who had an "insatiable thirst for cash". |
| His parents had already given him £40,000 and bought him his home in Seaham. | His parents had already given him £40,000 and bought him his home in Seaham. |
| Seddon had previously lived a luxury lifestyle as a company director, but he pleaded guilty to fraudulent trading in 2000 and then relied on his parents for money. | |
| The couple, married for 47 years, made a will in October 2009, naming each other as beneficiary if one of them died, with their estate worth £230,000. | |
| If they both died, their son Stephen "got the lot". | |
| Veered off carriageway | |
| The court heard Seddon hired a BMW on 20 March and drove from his home to Manchester on the pretext of treating his parents to a surprise meal. | |
| With his parents and nephew in the car, Seddon drove along a stretch of road beside the Bridgewater Canal in Timperley, south Manchester. | |
| The jury was told the vehicle then veered off the carriageway and into the water. | |
| He was found guilty by a majority of 11 to one on each count following more than 18 hours of deliberations by the jury. | He was found guilty by a majority of 11 to one on each count following more than 18 hours of deliberations by the jury. |
| The 46-year-old will be sentenced on Thursday 28 March. | The 46-year-old will be sentenced on Thursday 28 March. |