Men jailed for killing neighbour after rubbish row

Two men have been jailed for life for murdering one of their neighbours over a row about rubbish.

Franklin Ingram, known as Frank, was headbutted and hit with a hammer by Martin Carty and Mark Sothcott during the confrontation last June.

It happened inside Carty's flat in Raglan Terrace, Yeovil, Somerset, just hours after Mr Ingram had complained about Carty sweeping up rubbish and leaving it outside his home.

During a hearing at Bristol Crown Court earlier, they were both jailed for life. Carty will serve a minimum of 13 years while Sothcott, of Stiby Road, received a minimum of eight years.

Despite Mr Ingram's fatal injuries, the pair left him and carried on with their lives as normal with Sothcott attending his job cleaning the local Labour club before joining Carty for a drinking session in the afternoon, the court heard.

Carty called emergency services 18 hours after the attack and falsely claimed he had found Mr Ingram dead on his sofa.

The court heard Carty was arrested that day while Sothcott was arrested two days later, when police received information about comments he made after leaving Raglan Terrace on the night of Mr Ingram's death.

Carty and Sothcott, both 56, were found guilty of the "truly horrendous" murder following a three-week trial.

Upon sentencing, His Honour Judge Peter Blair described Mr Ingram's death as an "utterly needless loss of life that will have a lasting effect on those that love him".

In a statement released after sentencing, Mr Ingram's civil partner Vania Leprieult said losing her "soulmate" had had a "massive effect" on her.

She described Mr Ingram as an artist who enjoyed photography and would do what he could to help people.

"We were like two kids, playing all the time. We shared a lot of humour together. That is all gone now."

The couple spent a lot of time together in France and Ms Leprieult said: "It wasn't just me who loved Franklin. We have many friends together here in France.

"The people here say they have never seen two people love each other so much, We fit each other so well."

Senior Investigating Officer Det Ch Insp Mark Almond said police were "grateful" to people who provided information about Mr Ingram's death as it had helped "put two dangerous men behind bars".

"The violence used on that night and the decision not to report what had happened for 18 hours is both awful and shocking," he added.

"Our thoughts are with Vania and her family, who continue to endure unimaginable pain at losing someone who was so clearly loved."

Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.