Norfolk killer Stephen Grimwood beat 'friend' so badly police thought it was a shooting

A killer who beat his friend so badly that police initially thought he had been shot has been convicted of murder.

Stephen Grimwood, 64, attacked his former friend Mark Franklin on 26 April in Norwich.

Officers discovered Mr Franklin lying dead on his living room floor three days later, with injuries on his hands caused by self-defence.

His GP surgery had raised the alarm on 29 April after he failed to show up for three appointments, respond to text messages and telephone calls or answer the door when a member of staff visited his home.

Grimwood was convicted after trial at Norwich Crown Court, with the jury taking just 90 minutes to return its verdict.

The court heard how fragments of the victim's brain were later found on Grimwood’s shoes.

Jurors also heard that Grimwood took £500 from his victim's bank account shortly after he had killed him. 

Mr Franklin had lived in Appleyard Crescent all of his life, with neighbours saying he usually kept himself to himself.

Witnesses also said they saw Grimwood visit the house twice a week, with one neighbour suggesting he had debts of thousands of pounds with Mr Franklin - something Grimwood denied.

Det Insp Lewis Craske said: “This was a violent attack that was so ferocious it appeared to officers who discovered Mark’s body that it may have been a shooting.

"It’s impossible for most of us to even imagine committing such terrible violence to another person.

“It’s very sad that Mark’s life ended with such brutality and at the hands of someone he considered to be his friend - in fact, Grimwood was perhaps one of the few people who had been a consistent presence in his life over several years.

"[This] result will never bring Mark back, but I hope it goes some way to ending this awful ordeal for his family.”

Grimwood, who had denied murder, is due to be sentenced at Norwich Crown Court in January.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know...