Cort and Farrell convicted of the murder of Vina Patel

I know that Pooni over at her blog has covered this story as it unfolded but now the verdict’s in, I thought I might as well throw in my two-penneth. As I remember, Pooni suffered a barrage of abuse a few weeks ago from a couple of cyberspatial scumbags, leading her to take some of the posts down.

The story of the murder of Vina Patel is utterly chilling in the audacity of the perpetrators and the cold-bloodedness of the plot.

From BBC News 28/05/10:

John Cort, 54, of Rutland Street, Leicester, was convicted at Nottingham Crown Court of killing Vina Patel so he could claim life insurance.

Hit man Brian Farrell, 37, of Queensborough Terrace, west London, was jailed for a minimum term 27 years.

The body of 51-year-old Mrs Patel was found at the bottom of the stairs at Cort and Co solicitors in Blackbird Road, Leicester, on 15 January 2009.

During the trial, the court heard that debt-ridden Cort hired Farrell to commit the murder in the belief it would lead to a huge insurance pay-out.

Mrs Patel suffered a broken neck as well as other injuries.

The court evidence suggested she had either fallen because she was being attacked or had been attacked then her body arranged to make it look like an accident.

There are undertones of the Michael Peterson story here (which was publicised in the gripping ‘death on the staircase’ documentary and which aired a few years ago in the UK). Here, though, there was always far less doubt as the culpability of the defendants.

The judge said: "That you, Mr Cort, were able to have murdered a close friend of 30 years, erstwhile lover of 20 years and partner prepared to help you with your divorce, reveals your true character.

"You are a controlling person who will stop at nothing to achieve your aims.

"You were the driving force behind the murder."

Hopefully the verdict will at least afford the family of Vina Patel some small degree of closure from this horrible ordeal.