Pensioner's 22-year sentence for neighbour murder

Peter Kindell, 80, was found guilty of murdering 76-year-old John Jones

An 80-year-old divorcee must spend at least 22 years in jail after being convicted of murdering a 76-year-old neighbour, a judge has ruled.

Peter Kindell attacked John Jones with a hammer and a knife at a housing complex for over-60s where they lived in Silverdale Close, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, on 3 January, a trial heard.

Jurors found the musician and retired sound engineer guilty of murder in June, after a trial at Aylesbury Crown Court.

Prosecutors said Kindell had a "hatred" of Mr Jones and jurors heard that the two men had been involved in a long-running dispute over smoking and noise.

'Cold-blooded'

Judge Jonathan Cooper sentenced Kindell on Thursday at a further hearing in Aylesbury Crown Court.

The judge imposed a mandatory life sentence for murder and said Kindell must spend a minimum of 22 years in prison before parole could be considered.

He told Kindell: "If you choose to commit murder at the age of 80, the strong likelihood is that you will die in prison."

Judge Cooper said Kindell had hit Mr Jones at least eight times with a hammer before stabbing him.

The judge said the murder had been "cold-blooded" and added: "This was a vicious and cowardly attack."

He said evidence showed that Kindell was "lucid" after the attack and had shown a "total lack of remorse".

John Jones was attacked with a hammer and a knife near his home

Miranda Moore KC, prosecuting, had told jurors how Kindell hit the retired engineer over the head "again and again" with a hammer then stabbed him with a large kitchen knife.

Judge Cooper was told that Kindell had a "mental ill-health background" and a history of "depression and paranoia" over many years.

Miss Moore told the judge that Kindell was likely to spend most of his sentence held in a hospital unit - not a cell.

She said Kindell's family had cut themselves off from him.

Flowers were laid outside the block of flats where the two men lived

'Depression'

Lawyers representing Kindell said there was evidence of "chronic mental ill health" which had "waxed and waned over many years" and he was currently suffering from "moderate to severe" depression.

But the judge said Kindell's mental health condition did not substantially diminish his responsibility for the killing.

Kindell, who turns 81 on 22 November, was remanded in custody after the attack and jurors were told he had been held in a hospital.

He sat in a dock accompanied by nurses during the trial - and the sentencing hearing.