Harlow man jailed for murdering friend and cutting up body

Lee Clarke has been sentenced for the murder of his friend Phillip Lewis

A man who murdered his friend and cut up his body with power tools has been jailed for a minimum of 20 years.

Lee Clarke, 56, dumped Phillip Lewis' body parts in two ponds in Harlow, Essex, in 2022.

Human tissue and blood from Mr Lewis, 59, who was homeless, was found in several rooms in Clarke's sixth-floor flat in the town.

Clarke, of Wedhey, has been given a life sentence after being found guilty by a jury on Friday.

Warning: Article contains distressing detail

Essex Police said they had asked Lee Clarke to help them find all of his Phillip Lewis's remains, but he "instead chose to remain silent"

The trial at Chelmsford Crown Court heard that Mr Lewis had not been seen since 12 November 2022, although he had not been reported missing.

Mr Lewis and Clarke were part of a community who "regularly drank and took drugs" in Harlow town centre, and Mr Lewis, who was known locally as Scottish Phil, had spent several nights staying at the defendant's flat.

A dog walker spotted a spine and part of a torso in Oakwood Pond on New Year's Eve 2022, and the body parts were later linked to Mr Lewis.

His heart, lungs and the headless right side of his torso were found during further police searches which also included Netteswell Pond, about a mile east of Oakwood Pond.

Police teams dredged the two ponds in Harlow as they searched for body parts

In a statement read out in court, Mr Lewis's son Connor paid tribute to his father and said he was a kind, caring and friendly man.

"To him, a stranger was always a friend," he said.

"The torturous way in which way my dad died, and the total disrespect for his remains, haunts me daily.

"My dad will never see his grandchild's beautiful smile and see them grow up and have days out at the park, zoo, seaside and be a grandad."

Clarke showed little emotion as he was sentenced.

Det Supt Rob Kirby said: "Clarke thought that he had covered his tracks but forensic officers were able to find important evidence within Clarke's flat showing that Phil had been killed there.

"His actions have meant that despite painstaking searches over several weeks, we have not been able to recover all of Phillip's remains.

"Clarke could have assisted us in order that Phil's family could lay him to rest - but he instead chose to remain silent."

Clarke has been told he will be only eligible to be considered for parole after 18 years, which takes into account the time he has already spent remanded in custody.