Brothers jailed over Staffordshire pensioner murders

Arthur Gumbley, whose family asked for this image to be released, died in hospital after he was attacked

A serial burglar who murdered two pensioners using "cruel violence" has been handed two life sentences.

Amos Wilsher, 29, was told he would serve a minimum of 38 years in prison for the murders of Arthur Gumbley, 87, and 88-year-old Josephine Kaye in Staffordshire.

His brother Jason Wilsher, 23, was jailed for a minimum of 25 years for the murder of Mr Gumbley.

The pair also received concurrent terms for conspiracy to rob and wounding.

Mr Gumbley died three weeks after suffering broken ribs during an attack at his bungalow in Little Aston in November 2017.

In the attack on Mrs Kaye, the men's trial heard Amos Wilsher had posed as a gas worker to remove a padlock from a gate before injuring her and stealing her safe containing £20,000.

She died in hospital in March 2020, three weeks after suffering a broken leg when he repeatedly threw her to the floor at her home in Park Hall, Stoke-on-Trent.

Both men were additionally found guilty of wounding pensioner Dennis Taylor at his home in Derbyshire.

Josephine Kaye was thrown to the floor at her home in Stoke-on-Trent

Passing sentence at Coventry Crown Court on Friday, Mr Justice Henshaw said Amos Wilsher, formerly from Tibshelf, Derbyshire, had targeted elderly and vulnerable victims in a planned series of robberies.

The murder of Mrs Kaye had involved the use of "cruel violence inflicted on a slight and vulnerable" pensioner, the judge said.

He told both men: "Your murders are mitigated by your lack of intention to kill... which has played a part in my decision not to make a whole life order."

The elder of the brothers was given concurrent terms of 15 years and six years for conspiracy to rob and wounding respectively, with Jason Wilsher sentenced to 12 and five years for conspiracy to rob and wounding with intent.

Amos Wilsher was already serving a 12-year sentence imposed in July 2020 at Basildon Crown Court for a 2018 attack on a pensioner who was beaten around the head in Brentwood, Essex.

Jason Wilsher, originally found guilty of Mr Gumbley's murder in 2019, had been granted a re-trial despite DNA evidence linking him to the scene.

Amos and Jason Wilsher were handed life sentences at Coventry Crown Court

Det Ch Insp Dan Ison from Staffordshire Police said the sentences reflected "the level of planning, brutality and ruthlessness" of what the brothers were prepared to put their victims through.

Following the hearing, Mr Gumbley's family said: "We now have justice for the murder of our dad and we can move forward with our lives."

Mrs Kaye's family described her as a "truly wonderful woman who was loved, admired and respected by so many people and her memory will never fade".

And Mr Taylor's family said they were "proud" the 86-year-old had attended court and given evidence.

"His determination and bravery have helped to convict the individuals who brutally robbed and attacked him."