Burglar who boasted about murdering friend in Sutton Coldfield to fellow prisoner is jailed for life

A man who murdered his friend and photographed him dying has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 26 years. Leroy Lawrence carried out a 'horrendous' attack on Craig Moult at the victim's flat in Boldmere Close, Sutton Coldfield on September 1 last year.

He inflicted more than 100 external blunt force injuries, including bruises and cuts, some of which had been caused by a knife. Mr Moult, a 45-year-old dad of three, was left slumped against his bathroom door and was discovered by his brother two days later.

Lawrence 'sadistically' took a picture of the victim before fleeing the flat. After being arrested he boasted about the killing to a fellow inmate and asked if he thought he had a chance of getting away with it.

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The 46-year-old of Greenwood Place, Kingstanding was sentenced today after a jury found him guilty of murder and one count of theft yesterday. Mr Moult was on end of life care, suffering from pancreatic and liver disease. He had met Lawrence in prison several years earlier.

Judge Simon Drew KC said: "He was your loyal friend. When you were in prison he would bring your children and former partners to visit you. Shortly before his death he let you into his home and you repaid his trust and support by turning on him.

"Not only was he terminally ill but he was far more intoxicated than you. You knew that and took advantage of it, killing him in horrendous circumstances."

Mr Moult's family had hoped to be with him when he died. They spoke of their pain and heartbreak at not being able to say goodbye to him.

In a statement Mr Moult's eldest daughter Peyton said: "My dad was a kind, funny, adventurous soul. He was an imperfect human but was the perfect dad for me."

She added: "I was arrogant to think he would never die and I had all of the time in the world. We had hoped when his time came he would be surrounded by the people who loved him so he knew everything would be okay. But this was a brutal, vicious and needless crime."

Mr Moult's mother Susan Wilkes described losing her son as her 'worst nightmare', adding 'part of me died that day'. And Mr Moult's brother Lee, who discovered his body, said Craig was an 'independent, caring and loving person' who kept 'defying' doctors expectations as he 'continued to live life to the full'.

Mr Moult stated that he thinks about the moment he found his brother every day, adding the thought of what he went through in his final moments will 'haunt me forever'.

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Lawrence had been drinking and taking drugs with Craig Moult on September 1 last year, along with another friend Ryan Poltorak who left the flat at 1.55pm that day. Mr Moult was uninjured at that time.

Mr Poltorak got lost on his way home and tried calling him but there was no answer. It was at this time that Lawrence inflicted the fatal attack on Mr Moult after the pair had some sort of falling out.

It started in the living room before Lawrence then took him to the bathroom where he continued to batter Mr Moult to the head and body, including using the handle of a mop. Judge Drew said: "Such was the ferocity of your attack that it was broken into three separate parts. It is impossible to know how long the attack lasted for, but it must have finished by the time you left the house almost three hours after Ryan left."

Lawrence took a picture of Mr Moult covered in blood while sitting on the edge of the bath, which he later showed off to someone else. He fled the flat taking a bag, a knife and Mr Moult's phone.

The court heard at that stage Lawrence did not know he had inflicted fatal blows to the victim, but he did when he returned to the scene two days later to find him dead. But instead of calling emergency services he stole another bag. Mr Moult had suffered serious brain injuries.

Judge Drew said: "Let there be no doubt about this; the only reason Craig died was because you attacked him and beat him to the head and body, probably over several hours."

The court was also told Lawrence had burgled other people's homes before and after he had killed Mr Moult. He was ultimately arrested and remanded into custody. Lawrence went on to claim self-defence at his trial.

Judge Drew added: "While you were in prison you boasted to Dean Jones, a fellow prisoner, about what you had done and asked him if he thought that you had got away with it. The jury’s verdict has made it clear that you have not."

Mr Moult's brother Lee became concerned at not being able to reach him and entered his home on September 3. He noticed the television was damaged and a chair was slashed before he found his brother in the bathroom, lying in a foetal position on the floor and cold to the touch. He was declared dead by paramedics at 6.24pm that day.

Anand Beharrylal KC, defending, stated Lawrence had been good friends with Mr Moult and they were getting on well until the fatal attack. He argued the killing was committed in the context of them drinking and taking drugs, adding that the defendant had an intention to cause really serious harm, as opposed to an intent to kill him.