Middlesbrough man jailed for murdering friend and trying to use hacksaw to dismember body

David Thompson-Love has been jailed for the murder of his friend Maurice Bennett. Credit: Cleveland Police

A man who stabbed his friend and bought a hacksaw to dismember the body has been jailed for murder.

David Thompson-Love, 37, pleaded guilty to murdering Maurice Bennett earlier this year.

Mr Bennett was suffered more than 40 stab wounds when he was attacked by Thompson-Love on 7 April at a flat in Ormesby, in Middlesbrough.

Thompson-Love, who was an alcoholic, then drove to a hardware shop to buy tools to dismember his body.

Mr Bennett, 54, who was known by his friends and family as "Mozza", was described as a lovely man who would do anything for anybody.

Family 'devastated beyond measure' as police name alleged murder victim
Maurice Bennett was described as someone who would do anything for anyone. Credit: Family

He shared his vodka with Thompson-Love, who drank 10 cans of lager a day, and a psychiatrist said that he suffered from a mental disorder of alcohol dependence syndrome.

Recorder Paul Watson KC described the attack as pitiless and remorseless.

The judge said: ”He was a good man who died for no good reason, and it is only right that the court should express its profound sympathy."

Thompson-Love, who claims he cannot remember what happened, pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years and four months.

Senior Investigating Officer Homicide and Major Enquiry Team (HMET) Inspector Matt Hollingsworth, speaking after the sentencing, said: “Maurice Bennett was a vulnerable man whose life was taken from him in the most brutal circumstances, by someone he thought was a friend.

“He sustained horrific injuries in this attack - one of those proving to be fatal - and tragically Maurice was found by family members.  I can't imagine the shock, horror and trauma this must have caused."

Following the hearing at Teesside Crown Court, Mr Bennett’s family said they would not be able to "understand or forgive".

In a statement, they said: “Why did you so brutally murder your best friend, your friend who always had your back?

“In our eyes, you’re nothing but a coward.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the team at Cleveland Police for the investigation and to all the other agencies that have been involved in helping and supporting us as a family through this extremely difficult time.”

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