A Blackpool man has been jailed for life for murdering his neighbour and disposing of his remains at locations in Blackpool and Kendal in September last year.
William Wilkinson, 65, of Blackpool murdered Edward Forrester, 55, on September 1 at Seafield Road, Blackpool, where both lived in flats within the same building.
Mr Forrester’s friend contacted Lancashire Police during the early evening of September 2 when he failed to attend a prearranged meal with him.
On September 3, when officers attended Wilkinson’s flat which was below Mr Forrester’s flat, they found blood on the front door and in the kitchen and there was a strong smell of cleaning fluid. There was no sign of Wilkinson or Mr Forrester.
A murder investigation was started and using mobile phone data officers were able to track Wilkinson’s movements between September 3 and 5 to locations in Blackpool and Kendal, where he had disposed of Mr Forrester’s body parts.
Wilkinson was located in his van at the Lake District’s Kirkstone Pass Inn, in the early hours of September 5 where he was arrested.
In his initial police interviews Wilkinson denied knowing where his missing neighbour was. In subsequent interviews following the discovery of Mr Forrester’s remains, he made no comment.
A post mortem examination showed that Mr Forrester had died as a result of being struck to the head multiple times with a metal object, before being dismembered. Some of his body parts have not been located.
Yesterday, he was sentenced at Preston Crown Court to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 19 years and three months.
Katie Marsden, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West said: “This is a shocking and tragic case. After brutally murdering his neighbour Edward Forrester, William Wilkinson systematically dismembered him then disposed of Edward’s body over two counties over the following days.
“The CPS worked closely with Lancashire Police from the outset of the murder investigation and as the evidence unfolded over the course of the following weeks.
“My thoughts are with the family and friends of Edward Forrester at this incredibly difficult time, and I hope that today’s sentence will, in time, be of some comfort to them.”
