Wayne Edwards

Case record: Wayne Edwards

Background

Wayne Edwards was 33 years old and lived with his grandfather, Paul Peters, in Battersea, south London. Paul Peters was 76 years old and had lived at his home for 35 years, many of them with his wife, who had died seven years earlier. Paul Peters treated Wayne Edwards and Anton Sanderson almost as if they were his own sons.

Wayne Edwards and Anton Sanderson both had convictions for violence. Social services and police had repeatedly been contacted about Wayne Edwards. In the month before Paul Peters was killed, the pensioner twice contacted police about rows with Wayne Edwards, who told him: "I'm going to smash you."

In April, Paul Peters made a statement saying: "I do not want Wayne living with me, this could escalate and God knows what could happen to me." Paul Peters repeatedly turned down offers of being re-housed and refused to press charges against his tormentors.

The offence

Paul Peters was killed in May last year in what jurors heard was a merciless and prolonged attack. Wayne Edwards and Anton Sanderson subjected Paul Peters to abuse for about two years before he was killed. During the attack, Paul Peters was assaulted with fists, feet, bottles, and pieces of furniture.

The prosecutor said: "It seems his killing was for no other reason than to satisfy the need of each of these two defendants for gratuitous violence, to be meted out to an elderly and frail man." The prosecutor also said: "It was not for the purpose of robbery that he was killed, there was no burglary, it was not accidental." He added: "They repaid his hospitality by setting about him in a merciless and prolonged attack that was fuelled by drink and left Paul Peters dead."

Paul Peters suffered 33 rib fractures and was left half-naked on the kitchen floor of his home.

Investigation

Four days before his death, Paul Peters made a witness statement saying: "This could escalate and God knows what could happen to me." A few days before he died, he complained to police: "This could escalate and God knows what could happen to me."

Paul Peters had also made complaints to police and Wandsworth social services about Edwards beating him and threatening to throw him down the stairs. He had been allocated a social worker and made a series of complaints to both the social worker and police about threats and assaults.

Arrest

Wayne Edwards was arrested but was released the same day because of "weak evidence." Despite the locks being changed, he was back in Paul Peters' flat by May 1. Neighbours later heard Wayne Edwards telling his grandfather: "I'm the man in the house."

After their arrest for murder, Wayne Edwards claimed that he was asleep at the time of the killing and Anton Sanderson made no comment.

Trial

Wayne Edwards and Anton Sanderson both denied murder.

During the trial, it was heard that Wayne Edwards's girlfriend, Lee Beddoe, 34, helped the two men clean up the murder scene by disposing of evidence. Lee Beddoe denied assisting an offender by removing evidence with intent to impede the apprehension of Edwards and Sanderson.

The judge told the two men: "You will have many years to reflect on the wickedness of what you have done." The judge added: "You have both shown a complete lack of respect or gratitude to others."

The judge also said: "Throughout history, ordinary people have been moved to do great things to protect their family. 'But you have both murdered your own grandfather, and you have done so in a horrific manner showing him no mercy.'"

Sentencing

Wayne Edwards was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 20 years to serve after being convicted of murder. Anton Sanderson was also sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 20 years to serve after being convicted of murder.

Appeals

Lee Beddoe, 34, was acquitted earlier in the trial of assisting an offender.

Other details

On the evening of May 2, Paul Peters was hit with fists, feet, bottles and pieces of furniture at his flat in Francis Chichester Way, Battersea.

That same night, Wayne Edwards and Anton Sanderson wrecked a local restaurant, Noor Tandoori, causing £17,000 of damage in "an act of unprovoked vandalism."

Witnesses claimed that two years before the murder they heard Paul Peters begging to be let out of a cupboard. Paul Peters had brought up his grandson Wayne Edwards, who called him "Dad", and allowed him to stay at the flat.

Wayne Edwards was known as a "menace", playing loud music and spitting on neighbour's windows.

Wayne Edwards's address was given as Kennard House, Francis Chichester Way, Battersea. Anton Sanderson's address was given as Latymer Way, Enfield, north London. Lee Beddoe's address was given as Elsley Road, Battersea.