A martial arts expert who lured a pensioner outside by tampering with his television signal and then shot him dead with a crossbow has been jailed for life. He will not be eligible for parole until 2051.
Terence Whall, 39, was convicted earlier this week of murdering Gerry Corrigan, 74, at his home in Anglesey in north Wales.
NEWS: Four men will be sentenced this morning for the murder of Gerald Corrigan.
— MônFM (@MonFMRadio) February 28, 2020
Terence Whall was found guilty of killing the retired lecturer with a crossbow near Holyhead last Easter. A judge has told the sports therapist he will be jailed for life. pic.twitter.com/DB1sf6pKAv
The incident took place in April 2019, six months after Sana Mohammed, a heavily pregnant woman, died after being shot with a crossbow fired by her ex-husband, Ramanodge Unmathallegadoo, at her home in Ilford, east London.
After Mrs Mohammed’s death her local MP, Wes Streeting, raised the matter in Parliament.
He said: "Given these weapons, like the crossbow, used to kill my constituent are readily for sale online, can I urge the Prime Minister to urgently and seriously look at expanding the Offensive Weapons Bill so that we can toughen the scope of the laws governing the sale, the possession and the use of these deadly weapons.”
The then Prime Minister Theresa May said crossbows were "subject to strict controls" but the government would "consider the risk to public safety and whether further measures are needed."
Mr Corrigan’s partner Marie Bailey is reading her victim impact statement. She says Gerry was an “exceptional man” of “intellect” who also her carer “he was quick witted and the best person to have around and had a story for every occasion.” “I miss him so much he was my love.”
— Steve Bagnall (@DPWrexNews) February 28, 2020
After Mr Corrigan’s death Mrs May told Parliament it was a “very worrying case”.
The then Labour MP for Ynys Mon, Albert Owen, again asked Mrs May to review the law surrounding the use of crossbows.
But no action was taken by the government and in February 2020 crossbows are still available online for sale to customers in the UK.
Whall’s trial at Mold Crown Court in north Wales heard Mr Corrigan died of his injuries in hospital after a broadhead bolt was fired at him. Broadheads have razor sharp serrated edges and are designed to slay animals as big as bears.
"If you have an ounce of humanity... then you would tell us now why you have done this" The partner of Gerald Corrigan has appealed to Terence Whall to reveal why he killed the 74-year-old after being found guilty of murder pic.twitter.com/wQ3P7nAZEO
— ITV Wales News (@ITVWales) February 24, 2020
Mr Corrigan had been lured outside around midnight on 19 April 2019 after Whall tampered with his satellite dish, forcing his TV to go off.
The trial heard Whall denied he was anywhere near the house on the night of the murder and said he had actually been having sex with another man in a field at the time. But that man gave evidence to the court that they were in fact just friends and he was not with Whall that night.
“Your arrogant belief that you could get away with murder was misplaced,” said Justice Jefford. Mr Corrigan did not died for another three weeks when he was in immense pain. A doctor said he “disintegrating inside.”
— Steve Bagnall (@DPWrexNews) February 28, 2020
Crucial evidence against Whall came from telematics from his car, a Land Rover Discovery, which was found burned out on 3 June 2019.
Although it was gutted by flames detectives were able to interrogate the on-board computer and found it had a record of every journey he had made in it, including several reconaissance trips to the murder scene.
Ms Pope says there is clear evidence Mr Corrigan was about to report an offence of fraud and a significant degree of planning that started some months before. Whall had bought the bolts and broadheads and there was evidence of target practice and he scoped Gof Du the night before
— Steve Bagnall (@DPWrexNews) February 28, 2020
North Wales Police said they still have no idea why Mr Corrigan was killed.
Detective Chief Inspector Brian Kearney said Mr Corrigan appeared to be “entirely innocent” and was "the victim of a barbaric, medieval-style execution in one of the safest parts of the UK."
In a statement on their website North Wales Police said: "What is clear is that whilst the exact motive is unknown as outlined by (prosecutor) Peter Rouch QC 'is that someone wanted Gerald Corrigan killed'. This is clearly in the wider context that the victim was a source or potential source of grief to local criminality."
The Home Office was asked by Sputnik to comment on the laws surrounding crossbows but has not given a response.
