Man jailed over murder of hotelier and bid to kill mum
AN ASPIRING artist has been jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 36 years in prison, for the “cruel and senseless” murder of aristocrat Sir Richard Sutton and paralysing his own mother.
Thomas Schreiber was convicted following a three-week trial at Winchester Crown Court of killing the 83-year-old millionaire hotelier at his Dorset country estate on April 7, 2021, and the attempted murder of 66-year-old Anne Schreiber.
The judge, Mr Justice Garnham, told the defendant: “Your actions have caused utter devastation in the Sutton and Schreiber families.”
He added: “You treated Sir Richard’s house and possessions as if they were your own. You showed neither him or your mother any respect, instead during your time in their home you displayed a breathtaking sense of entitlement. At times you left Sir Richard feeling like a prisoner in his own home.”
The 35-year-old defendant admitted carrying out the knife attack on the pair on the eighth anniversary of the death of his alcoholic father David Schreiber, after he said his mother shouted at him for being “drunk like his father”.
He told the court: “I just went completely crazy, I completely snapped and I just launched for her and began attacking her uncontrollably.”
In a letter to the judge, the defendant spoke of his “heartfelt shame and total disgust” at his actions.
Expressing his wish that he had
sought help for his mental health, he added: “I have been a coward, hugely arrogant and selfish in my behaviour. I am so sorry for this and wish I had the clarity of thought I have now, I remain in total shock and horror that I could be capable of such actions.”
The attack happened at Sir Richard’s Moorhill estate near Gillingham, Dorset, which he shared with the Schreiber family following the separation of the defendant’s parents.
The trial heard that the defendant was angry with his mother for “abandoning” his father, who suffered from depression, to move in with Sir Richard and accused her of being a “golddigging bitch”.
Schreiber, an aspiring painter, also felt that Sir Richard treated him unfairly compared to his two sisters, despite receiving a £1,000 monthly allowance and £100,000 towards buying a house.
The court heard that family arguments descended into violence on three previous occasions including once when Sir Richard hit the defendant with his cane in November 2020.
Ms Schreiber suffered up to 15 injuries to her head and body including a partially severed spinal cord which has left her paralysed.
Sir Richard, a father-of-two and grandfather-of-five, suffered three deep wounds to his face and five to his chest, up to 12cm deep.
Schreiber was also sentenced for driving a Range Rover dangerously when he failed to stop for armed police in a 135mph pursuit following the killing before he was detained in central London where he stabbed himself in the chest and shouted at officers to shoot him.