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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ryan Merrifield & Antony Thrower

Vigilante dad and Tesco worker son armed with 2ft sword murdered thief trying car doors

A father and son found guilty of murdering a thief in a vigilante killing have been jailed for life.

David King, 55, and Edward King, 19, armed themselves with knives and hunted down Neil Charles, 47, when they saw him trying to open cars and doors on a housing estate in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

After chasing the suspected thief down the road on the Moreton Hall development, David stabbed Mr Charles in the chest with a double-edged fighting knife during the incident in June 2021.

His son sliced the victim's knee using a 27-inch ninja sword and used the huge weapon to stab the tyre of Mr Charles’ pushbike, which he left at the scene.

Police have also released video footage of the moment David King was arrested before telling officers he didn't have any underpants on.

David King stabbed Neil Charles to death (Suffolk Police / SWNS)
Edward King, 19, and his father denied murder but were found guilty (PA)

Edward King is also in the footage, answering the door without a top on and demanding police show a warrant to which he is told they don't need one.

During the 10-week trial last April both men denied intentionally killing Mr Charles but were found guilty.

Judge Martyn Levett sentenced David King, who inflicted the fatal wound, to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years, which he must serve before he can be considered for release.

Neil Charles was killed in April 2021 on the Moreton Hall estate in Bury Sr Edmunds (Suffolk Police / SWNS)

He sentenced Edward King, who was just 18 at the time of the killing, to life in prison with a minimum term of 19 years.

The two men showed no reaction as they were led to the cells.

Prosecutor Richard Kelly described it as "vigilante behaviour" by the father and son, and "revenge or retaliation".

The samurai sword used in the attack (suffolk police)

The prosecutor said that the pair had been "looking to exact violence upon a local thief".

He said there were attempts to cover up Edward King's involvement in what happened.

David King had called 999 at around 4am on Sunday June 20, claiming a man had been trying to steal from his car.

The double-edged fighting knife used to stab the victim in the chest (suffolk police)

He told the call taker he had tried to apprehend the male who had run off, admitting he had a knife in his hand.

Upon arrival, officers located King and where the stabbing took place.

Other officers found the victim who had sustained a serious stab wound to the chest and was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital.

Another knife used in the incident (suffolk police)

The prosecution argued the two men had actively gone out to hunt down and attack Mr Charles in an act of vigilantism.

Police analysis of both men's text message history revealed they had a fascination with weapons.

It also revealed, following previous thefts in the area, they had an “intent and desire” to deal with any perceived criminals themselves, the court heard.

The moment police arrested David King (suffolk police)

The judge said both men went out "with the intention of hunting down Mr Charles and at least causing him really serious harm".

He said the message thread indicated that the men thought they "needed the likes of Charles Bronson to bring justice back to the streets".

Mr Kelly said: "We do not say there was an intention to kill in this case.

Edward King answering the door to police (suffolk police)

"The intention was to do really serious bodily harm."

Kieran Vaughan KC, for David King, said the defendant was "simply not the type of man to take a weapon on the street with the intention of causing serious injury to somebody".

Nicholas Whitehorn, for Edward King, said the defendant was "immature" at the time and took the sword to "wave around to scare off or ward off any attack on his house or on his vehicles".

Teaching assistant Linnet Booth, the sister of Mr Charles, said in a victim impact statement that he was a "kind and gentle person" who was "never aggressive and always one to retreat when he didn't like a situation".

She said he had been due to marry his fiance Michelle Jackson in August 2021.

"We know he took the wrong path in life but he wasn't violent or aggressive and that night he was simply trying to get away," said Ms Booth.

Ms Jackson described Mr Charles as "loving, caring and kind".

Heather King, the wife of David King and mother of Edward King, said in a statement that they were "in the process of appealing" against the convictions.

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