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Two jailed for 34 years for killing church organist

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IANS London

Two men who attacked and killed a church organist who was on his way to Christmas midnight mass in Britain have been sentenced to 34 years in prison, a media report said Friday.

Jonathan Bowling, 22, admitted last month that he had killed 68-year-old Alan Greaves, while Ashley Foster, also 22, denied murder but was found guilty of manslaughter after a three-week trial, Sky News reported.

Bowling has been jailed for life and must serve a minimum term of 25 years, while Foster was jailed for nine years by the Sheffield Crown Court.

The pair were caught on CCTV walking behind Greaves seconds before he was smashed over the head with a pickaxe handle and with another weapon which has never been found.

 

Greaves, a retired social worker and community volunteer, died three days after being found lying in the street near his home.

He was carrying a briefcase containing sheet music to play at his local church Christmas midnight mass as he had done every year for 40 years, but police found nothing was taken from him by his attackers.

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First Published: Jul 19 2013 | 7:45 PM IST

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