Jump directly to the content
GRIM KILLING

Freed killer ‘sexually abused, tortured then brutally murdered neighbour, 71, before making chilling remark to cops’

Convicted murderer left retired horsewoman with 'too many injuries to count', court told

A FREED killer left a kind woman who helped him with "too many injuries to count" in a brutal murder at her home, a court heard.

Wendy Buckney said "everyone deserves a second chance" when Brian Whitelock was released from prison for murder and manslaughter.

Wendy was killed at her home in a quiet village
4
Wendy was killed at her home in a quiet villageCredit: WNS

The 71-year-old offered the convicted killer odd jobs when he moved in opposite her home in Clydach, Swansea.

Jurors heard he repaid the kind gesture by carrying out a "brutal" murder using a knife, table leg and wooden shelf.

Whitelock, who also allegedly sexually assaulted Wendy, then left her home covered in blood and wearing just his boxer shorts.

He told his shocked neighbours: "I've killed Wendy. I don't know why, she was good to me."

Read more news

When police arrived to arrest him, Whitelock allegedly told them: "It looks like I f***ing tortured her, I literally have. She was begging me to stop."

He continued: "I'm not doing another life sentence."

Swansea Crown Court heard Whitelock was convicted of murdering friend Nicholas Morgan, 27, in 2001 after battering him to death with a hammer.

He also killed his own brother Glenn in a fire as he tried to destroy the evidence of the fire.

Prosecutor Christopher Rees KC said Whitelock has a "propensity to use explosive and disproportionate violence".

In 2022 after he was released early from jail, he moved into the small village where retired riding instructor Wendy lived.

She helped him out with odd jobs despite being warned against it by her family.

In August that year, jurors heard Wendy was discovered in her blood-splattered home with multiple stab injuries, sharp force injuries and blunt force injuries inflicted upon her.

Her injuries were so severe that the pathologist who examined her body was unable to count exactly how many wounds she had.

Jurors heard that despite his initial admission, Whitelock changed his story a few days later and claimed he had found Wendy injured.

He said there were "shadowy figures" outside her flat but has since pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility.

Whitelock, who denies murder, claims a brain injury was to blame after he suffered a fall and fractured his skull in the days before.

But the prosecutor told jurors his previous convictions would help them understand "the nature of the man you're dealing with."

The court was told Whitelock bludgeoned pal Nicholas to death using either a hammer of a pick axe handle.

He then poured petrol on the murder scene and set the property - and Nicholas' body - on fire.

Whitelock's brother Glenn was asleep upstairs at the time and died from smoke inhalation.

Mr Rees said there were "significant similarities" between Nicholas' death and Wendy's killing.

He added: "In both cases a weapon was used to kill by repeated blows and both victims sustained severe injuries to the face.

"In both cases explosive and disproportionate violence was used without any obvious motive, in both cases the location of the killings was significantly damaged after the death.

"In both cases victims were killed in the early hours of the morning and trusted to be there. In both cases the defendant was under the influence of drugs.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

"In both cases he was said to be mumbling and incoherent in the aftermath - of significance he was not blaming any head injury in 2001."

The trial continues.

Wendy was allegedly sexually assaulted and tortured
4
Wendy was allegedly sexually assaulted and torturedCredit: WNS
Whitelock was convicted of his killing his brother Glenn (pictured)
4
Whitelock was convicted of his killing his brother Glenn (pictured)Credit: WNS
He also murdered pal Nicholas Morgan
4
He also murdered pal Nicholas MorganCredit: WNS
Topics