Murder victim's family tell of loss as his killers are sentenced to life

TWO men have been handed life sentences after murdering a man they mistakenly believed was a convicted paedophile.

- SARAH LUMLEY [e-mail]

David Garland and Mark Roberts were found guilty of murder and conspiracy to cause GBH with intent.

On Friday June 13, Garland was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 32 years for murder. He was handed a two-year jail term for preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body, to be served concurrently. Roberts was jailed for life with a minimum term of 27 years for murder. There was no additional penalty for either man for conspiracy to commit GBH with intent.

Roberts and Garland previously admitted to preventing the lawful and decent burial of the body of Michael Wheeler. Three other men - Jack Rance, Angus Warner and Reuben Clare - were cleared of all charges against them.

Bristol Crown Court heard on June 5, that Michael Wheeler, 37, from Yeovil, was friends with all five men, but owed £100 to Roberts. Their relationship turned when other people found a news report about a man, also called Michael Wheeler, who was jailed in 2003 after admitting grooming and sexually abusing two 13-year-old girls. The murdered man was not the same person, and had no convictions for child sexual offences.