Man jailed for life for murdering his brother

Lynch was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 20 years, less time on remand

A man has been jailed for life for murdering his brother with a hammer-type weapon at his mother's home in Cornwall.

Daniel Lynch, 39, of Bosmeor Park, Illogan, had denied attacking his older brother Shane, causing 11 separate head wounds, in their mother's kitchen at her home in Illogan last November.

A jury at Truro Crown Court convicted Lynch of killing his 39-year-old brother.

Judge Simon Carr sentenced Lynch to serve a minimum of 20 years in prison, less 283 days spent on remand.

Shane Lynch was murdered by his younger brother

Shane Lynch's body was found by their 22-year-old stepbrother the following morning.

His mother then dialled 999 and Daniel Lynch was arrested.

He told police he did not kill his brother and knew nothing about it.

The jury was shown CCTV footage of a figure leaving the property carrying a rucksack after the attack - Lynch denied the figure was him.

Judge Carr told the court that on that day Lynch was acting in "an irrational, paranoid and angry manner against a number of people, including Shane".

He said: "An argument or disagreement escalated dramatically and you armed yourself with a weapon and carried out a sustained, frenzied attack on your own brother.

"Your intention was to kill."

After sentencing, Det Insp Rob Smith, from the Devon and Cornwall Police major crime investigation team, said: "There are only two men who truly know what happened in the property that night and one of them is, sadly, no longer with us.

"A huge amount of work has gone into this investigation to establish the circumstances that lead to Shane Lynch's death.

"What is not in doubt is that Shane Lynch was brutally murdered by his own brother Daniel within their mother's home.

"The exact reasons Daniel launched such a violent and brutal attack on his brother, we will likely never know.

"Daniel Lynch continued to deny he was responsible for the murder, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

"We welcome the verdict and sentence passed by the court.

"We hope all those involved in this case are able to move on with their lives."