Man gets life for Ipswich double murder

Paul Clarke had denied the charges and gave no evidence during his trial

A man convicted with a girl of 16 of murdering two people in Suffolk, has been jailed for life.

Paul Clarke, 41, and Lorraine Thorpe were convicted on Tuesday of the murders of Rosalyn Hunt and Desmond Thorpe.

Their bodies were found at separate addresses in Ipswich in August 2009, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Clarke, of Mountbatten Court, must serve a minimum of 27 years. Thorpe will be sentenced next month.

She was 15 at the time of the murders.

Street drinkers

Both had denied the charges and gave no evidence during their trial.

John Grimwood, 27, of Canham Street, Ipswich, had been charged with murdering Mrs Hunt and was found not guilty following a trial.

The jury had been told that both victims were alcohol-dependent and vulnerable.

Lorraine Thorpe was 15 years old when the killings took place

Both Clarke and Thorpe had repeatedly beaten and tortured Ms Hunt and then smothered Mr Thorpe to death.

Speaking after the hearing, police described the killings as brutal and tragic.

Det Ch Insp Rick Munns, who has now retired from Suffolk Police and the Joint Major Investigation Team, said: "The families of Rosalyn Hunt and Desmond Thorpe have had to deal with the loss of their family members and the reality of their street-drinking lifestyles."

Ros Jones, for the prosecution, said: "Rosalyn Hunt became a prisoner in her own home and died from multiple injuries due to the continuous attacks she suffered at their hands.

"Desmond Thorpe, who was killed days later, had been smothered for reasons known only to Clarke and Thorpe."