Double murderer sentenced for father-and-son shootings in Cambridgeshire
Police arrested Stephen Alderton on the M5 near Worcester as he tried to escape in his camper van
A widower who murdered a father and son in separate shootings in two villages just six miles apart has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years.
Stephen Alderton, 67, was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court for the murders of Gary and Joshua Dunmore, who were killed in Cambridgeshire in March.
Prosecutor Peter Gair said former chartered quantity surveyor Alderton blasted the two men with his Beretta shotgun on March 29 this year, two days after a family court hearing.
The defendant, of no fixed address, had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to the murders of Joshua Dunmore, 32, and his 57-year-old father Gary Dunmore.
The pair were found dead at their homes in villages six miles apart in Cambridgeshire, with Joshua Dunmore’s home in Bluntisham and his father’s in Sutton.
The court had heard that Mr Alderton - father of Josh Dunmore's former partner Stephanie - had been "triggered" by a family dispute.
Judge Mark Bishop described the murders as an “execution” and told the defendant, who wore a silver crucifix necklace in court: “You took the decision to take the law into your own hands and end the lives of two innocent men.”
Alderton bowed his head as the judge sentenced him to life in prison with a minimum term of 25 years.
As he was led to the cells a family member of the two dead men, who was in court, swore and shouted “rot in prison”, which was followed by brief applause.
Other members of the two men’s family wept as they filed out of the courtroom at Cambridge Crown Court following Monday’s sentencing.
After Alderton was arrested hours later by armed officers on a motorway, he told police that “sometimes you have to do what you have to do even if it’s wrong in the eyes of the law”, Mr Gair said.
Adrian Langdale KC, mitigating for Alderton, said Alderton’s wife died in December 2019.
Mr Gair said Alderton sold his home and was living at the time of the offences in a motorhome on a site in Willingham, Cambridgeshire.
Mr Gair said that Alderton was “rapidly identified” as a suspect after the shootings due to the family court case and sightings of the white Peugeot.
His motorhome was picked up by police using ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras.
He was stopped by armed police from the West Mercia force on the M5 near Worcester at about 1.30am on March 30, police said.
Det Ch Insp Katie Dounias, from the major crime unit, said Alderton had "turned a family dispute [...] into a double tragedy by his rash and brutal actions".
She added: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Gary and Josh at this difficult time.
"There is no sentence sufficient to heal the trauma they have endured but I hope today’s sentencing will provide some solace.”
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know