Murderer beat his neighbour and then set fire to his home
A MAN murdered a neighbour at the caravan park where they lived by beating him up then torching his mobile home with the stricken victim still inside.
Darren Smith would later claim that Richard Thomas had set fire to himself in his van on the residential site where they both resided.
But a jury rejected that version of events and unanimously convicted the 43-year-old.
Psychiatric reports into the killer have now been ordered.
Emergency services had rushed to the Beeches caravan park in Magor, Monmouthshire, in the early hours of December 20, 2021, following reports of a blaze.
Firefighters performed a “snatch rescue” of a casualty from a fire-damaged caravan and carried him to a place of safety.
The trial at Cardiff Crown Court heard how Mr Thomas’ body was “smouldering and smoking” and his legs and arms were badly burned and were beginning to “curl” – a sign of the level of tendon damage.
The casualty was doused in water and firefighters performed first aid.
Two of the firefighters reported hearing Mr Thomas saying words to the effect of “stop hitting me” or “stop hurting me”.
Despite the best efforts of firefighters and paramedics, Mr Thomas could not be saved.
Police officers spoke to the defendant, Smith, at the scene and he initially claimed he knew nothing about any fire until seeing the blue flashing lights of fire engines arriving at the caravan site.
He later changed his story and said he had been in Mr Thomas’ caravan on the night in question sharing a drink with his neighbour, who was widely known by the nickname Shrew.
Smith claimed a verbal argument then broke out between the two men and that his neighbour poured petrol around the van before igniting it with a lighter.
It was the prosecution case that Smith had repeatedly assaulted Mr Thomas and then set a fire in the caravan “before casually walking back to his own caravan knowing that Mr Thomas would die”.
Darren Anthony Smith, of Beeches Residential Caravan, Knollbury, Magor, Monmouthshire, was convicted of murder.
Sentencing was adjourned to January 13, pending pre-sentence and psychiatric reports.
Addressing the defendant in the dock, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said: “You know there is only one sentence for the offence of murder – that is life. But I will need to set the minimum term you must serve before you can even apply for parole.”
Following his death, Mr Thomas’ family paid tribute to him.
They said: “Our dearly beloved Richard Grenfell Thomas, who was known by his nickname Shrew, was one of a kind. He will be sorely missed by his family and many friends.
“Mum and dad, brothers, sister-inlaws, aunts, uncles and cousins are very much shocked by his sudden passing.
“Richard made and took his own chances in life, living it to the full there was never a dull moment with him, he was a strong character, wellknown and a lively person, with an eclectic circle of friends and interests.
“Rest in peace Richard. We know even in death you will still be your own free spirit.”