A MAN found guilty of murdering a father-of-three has been handed a life sentence.
At Manchester Crown Court today, 39-year-old Ian Gary Connell was told he must serve a minimum term of 19 years for strangling Donald 'Prentice' Patience.
The prosecution said Connell had exploited Mr Patience's generosity since meeting him in 2020 and probably attacked his victim when he refused to hand over more money.
"I hope today's sentencing goes some way to giving Mr Patience's friends and family some comfort knowing his killer is behind bars," said Detective Chief Inspector Rachel Smith of Greater Manchester Police.
Burglary report
On Tuesday, August 22, 2023, officers were called to an address on Ainsworth Road, Radcliffe, Bury, following reports of a burglary.
A witness said they had seen a male climbing into the property through a window before re-appearing out of the back garden with a white dog.
Connell was detained after patrols attended the scene and located a male matching the description given of the intruder.
Connell told police he knew 45-year-old Mr Patience and had received a call from him asking him to walk his dog while he was away in his native Scotland.
He claimed that his key had snapped in the back door and that Mr Patience had told him over the phone to break in, which is why he smashed the window.
When officers entered the property, they found the body of Mr Patience wrapped in a duvet at the bottom of the stairs, where it is believed to have been for two days.
GMP subsequently launched a formal murder investigation.
During their enquiries, officers discovered that Mr Patience was captured on CCTV walking his dog on Ainsworth Road on Saturday, August 19, 2023, taking his usual route.
This was the last known sighting of him on CCTV and an hour later, Connell is captured on the same camera walking Mr Patience's dog.
Information was also passed to an officer that Connell admitted the killing during a phone conversation.
'Sorely missed'
In a statement read at court, Mr Patience’s loved ones described him as 'a much-loved son, brother and father and will be sorely missed by many, affectionately known as Prentice'.
"Greater Manchester Police, and specifically my investigation team, would like to pass on our condolences to Mr Patience's loved ones," added DCI Smith.
"This was a complex investigation which commenced as a response to a report of a burglary.
"Police officers from Bury district attended quickly and detained Ian Connell in the street whilst further enquiries were made.
"During those enquiries they sadly found the body of Mr Patience, placed inside a duvet cover in his home address.
"As a result of this, Connell was then further arrested on suspicion of murder and the investigation was passed to the Major Incident Team.
"My team have worked incredibly hard over the past five months to bring Ian Connell to justice.
"I want to thank the members of the public who assisted our investigation, providing vital information that ensured we were able to secure a murder charge and subsequent conviction against Connell."
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