Freda Walker murder: Man jailed for torturing and killing woman, 86

Freda Walker, 86, died at the scene while Ken Walker, 88, was critically injured

A man who tied up, gagged and beat an 86-year-old woman to death has been given a life sentence for her murder.

Vasile Culea killed Freda Walker after entering her home in Derbyshire to steal thousands of pounds her husband had taken out for home improvements.

Culea also tied up, gagged and beat her 88-year-old husband Ken Walker, who survived but has since died from cancer.

The 34-year-old was convicted following a trial at Derby Crown Court.

Sentencing Culea at the same court, Mr Justice Andrew Henshaw gave him a life sentence with a minimum term of 34 years.

He also gave him a concurrent sentence of 14 years in prison for causing Mr Walker grievous bodily harm with intent.

Vasile Culea was found guilty of murdering Mrs Walker

The judge told Culea he had attacked the couple "remorselessly", inflicting multiple injuries on both of them.

"The murder of Freda Walker was aggravated by the fact she was particularly vulnerable because of her age," the judge said.

"It was also aggravated by you applying tight restraints, head and neck wrappings to Freda Walker, failing to release her before you left, and making no attempt to summon help afterwards, for example by making an anonymous call."

Although Culea was found guilty of murdering Mrs Walker, he was found not guilty of attempting to murder her husband.

The judge also said he could not be sure Culea had intended to kill Mrs Walker when he attacked her. For Culea to be guilty of murder, the prosecution only had to prove he intended to cause her grievous bodily harm.

Culea attacked the couple at their home in Station Road, Langwith Junction, on 14 January.

Mr Walker had previously taken out £30,000 for home improvements and hidden it in various places around the house.

It was not clear how Culea came to learn of this money. In his evidence, he said he went to find the home after hearing two strangers talking about a "wealthy house" in the area.

He was more than £11,000 in debt, and had gambled away £280 at various betting shops on the day he attacked the pair.

The couple were found at their home by a neighbour

CCTV played in court showed him outside the couple's home before he went inside.

Only Culea knows exactly what happened inside the house, because Mr Walker had no memory of the attacks.

"Kenneth couldn't tell anyone what had happened and simply repeated 'my wife, my wife'," said Michael Auty KC, who prosecuted the case.

Mr Walker never returned home, and died in hospital on 29 August.

"He asked about Freda throughout the remainder of his time," Mr Auty said.

The prosecution suggested Culea had tortured Mrs Walker in order to make Mr Walker reveal where the money was hidden, and that he became increasingly frustrated when Mr Walker could not remember where it was.

The court heard Culea could also have suffocated Mrs Walker - by placing plastic bags and a pillowcase over her head - as a "last resort" in order to stop her from being able to identify him.

A pathologist said she died due to a combination of head injuries and airway obstruction, and either of these could have been sufficient to kill her.

CCTV captured Culea walking in Station Road before he entered the couple's home

The couple were found by a concerned neighbour, Judith Casey.

Mrs Walker was lying dead in a pool of her own blood, with multiple injuries to her head, face, limbs and torso where Culea had beaten and stamped on her.

Mr Walker was left fighting for his life with extensive injuries, including bleeding to his brain.

"I just feel more wary of everything," Ms Casey told the BBC outside court.

"My confidence has gone I think. I just don't feel like I did but you've got to get on with your life, you've got to carry on."

'Pain and horror'

Gillian Allsop, a close friend who spoke to Freda on the telephone shortly before the attack, said she felt "relieved" by the sentence.

"Whatever we think, we're not going to get friends back," she said.

"I spoke with Freda every day. I am so guilty that Judith was the one that had to go and find them, and I shall take that guilt with me until the day I die. I feel like that should've been me to save Judith all this pain and horror she's going through."

Culea was captured walking away from the scene in a high-vis jacket

The brutal attacks were motivated by financial gain, which the judge said was an aggravating factor.

However Culea told the trial he only managed to steal £300, which he found in a handbag. Police later found £27,000 hidden in various places when they searched the house.

Detectives traced Culea from a cap they found at the scene, which contained traces of his DNA.

Officers then arrested Culea at his home in Grove Road in the early hours of 20 January. He was interviewed four times but replied "no comment" to every question.

Body-worn video footage showed Culea being arrested at his home in Church Warsop

Det Insp Carolyne Van Schaick, who helped lead the investigation, thanked the couple's family and friends for the "immense courage" they had shown.

"While today's sentencing can never reverse Culea's actions I hope it provides some degree of closure for Freda and Ken's family and friends," she said.

"His actions have devastated an entire community and, while Ken may have survived the attack, he had lost his wife and lived out his remaining days requiring constant care before he sadly passed away shortly before this case was due to be heard."

Mr Walker was a councillor and had received the title of Honorary Alderman for his work with Bolsover District Council.

Culea had one previous conviction, which was for common assault in 2017.

Mr Auty said Culea had grabbed his then-girlfriend by the throat, pushed her backwards, then used both hands to push her to the floor.

He received a community order for this assault, which happened in front of two young children his girlfriend was looking after at the time.

Culea's barrister, Clive Stockwell KC, said in mitigation he had acknowledged unlawfully killing Mrs Walker by pleading guilty to manslaughter before the trial.

He also said his client was sorry for what he had done.

"Mr Culea, in front of the jury, apologised for his actions and indicated to the jury that upon a daily basis he thinks of the horror of what it was he did to Mr and Mrs Walker," Mr Stockwell said.

"Every day he reflects on the misery he has caused by his actions."