Worcestershire murder: Mother of Craig Hodson-Walker labels killers 'mindless dregs'

Dec 17 2009

A mother whose son was gunned down by robbers as he fought to protect his parents in Worcestershire described his killers as "mindless dregs".

Judith Hodson-Walker spoke out as three men were convicted of sub-postmaster Craig's murder during a botched raid on their family-run village store.

Craig Hodson-Walker, 29, was shot through the heart as he tried to fend off the masked gang at the post office and general stores in Fairfield in January. His father Ken was also shot during the raid - sustaining a bullet wound to his left shin.

Following a ten-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court a jury found Christopher Morrissey, 32, his brother Declan Morrissey, 34, and Anselm Ribera, 34, guilty of murder. They were also convicted of attempting to murder Ken Hodson-Walker.

A fourth defendant, Adrian Snape, was cleared of both charges. After the verdicts, Mrs Hodson-Walker told the court in an impact statement: "I no longer live, I exist." She added: "I am scared but if I stop I won't be able to carry on.

"I have had to endure living and working in a place where my son was so brutally shot, walking daily past the spot where I held him in my arms, dying, as his beautiful blue eyes slowly turned lifeless. Our lives have been destroyed by the mindless dregs. They have no thought but to take what was not theirs, materially but also emotionally.

"Craig's life was extinguished by men with no values and no sense of purpose other than to take what was not theirs. The biggest question I have is why did evil touch us that day? Evil has touched us but it will not destroy us. Our love for Craig will never diminish."

Christopher Morrissey, of Elmay Road, Sheldon, Birmingham, Declan Morrissey, of Shirley Park Road, Shirley, Solihull, and Ribera, of Topfield House, Druids Heath, Birmingham, were also convicted of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and attempted robbery.

Snape, of Camelot Way, Small Heath, Birmingham, had already pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, admitting he was the getaway driver. The gang will be sentenced on Friday.