Broadholme: Man guilty of stabbing grandfather to death

Rolandas Karbauskas, 48, faces life in prison for the "brutal and callous" murder

A man who stabbed a grandfather in the back and threatened to bury him alive has been convicted of his murder.

Rolandas Karbauskas, 48, knifed neighbour Saulius Badgziunas, 59, outside his home during an argument in the Lincolnshire village of Broadholme.

He dragged his body behind a garage before it was found by a family friend on March 14, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Karbauskas faces life in prison after was he found guilty of murder. He will be sentenced on Friday.

The jury heard how a family friend found Mr Badgziunas lying on his back behind the garage and initially believed he had fallen ill.

Paramedics who responded to a 999 call were unable to save the father-of-one, who was found to have suffered a 20cm stab wound to the back and other blunt force injuries.

Saulius Badgziunas was described as a "devoted" grandfather

His killer, who lived in a caravan at the rear of the secluded house that Mr Badgziunas shared with his daughter and two grandchildren, was at the property when the body was found.

Police described Mr Badgziunas as a "devoted" father and grandfather who would often let Karbauskas, a Lithuanian national, eat meals with his family and come into their house for a beer.

The court was played an audio recording captured by cameras installed near the property in which Karbauskas could be heard saying "bleed to death" and "I told you I would bury you alive".

Forensic investigators also found a double-edged 35.5cm knife in Karbauskas's caravan with his DNA on the handle and Mr Badgziunas' blood on the blade.

'Brutal and callous'

Following a two-week trial, a jury convicted of him of murder after 10 hours of deliberations. Karbauskas showed no emotion as the verdict was returned.

Det Insp Adrian Czajkowski, of Lincolnshire Police, said Mr Badgziunas had been "mercilessly stabbed" in a "brutal and callous" murder.

The murder weapon, a 35.5cm double-edged knife, was found in Karbauskas' caravan

Judge Simon Hirst told Karbauskas : "You will no doubt know a life sentence awaits you. The only thing I need to determine is what the minimum sentence will be."