Former Marine Sentenced To At Least 28 Years In Jail For Dog Walker Murder

Former Royal Marine Alexander Palmer, 24, has been jailed at Nottingham Crown Court for at least 28 years for murdering 83-year-old dog-walker Peter Wrighton on August 5 last year.

The former soldier had a grudge against dog-walkers and killed the pensioner whom he had never met.

Palmer attacked Peter Wrighton from behind with a knife before dragging his body under brambles.

Reports say he stabbed the victim up to 45 times during the frenzied attack.

Originally the police thought the pensioner had been attacked by a wild animal, as the injuries were so severe.

Mr Wrighton had been walking his two dogs, a mongrel called Gemma and a Scarteen Harrier named Dylan, in woodland known as The Heath near East Harling, Norfolk.

The 24-year-old showed no emotion as the unanimous verdict was reached.

Police were initially unaware of Palmer until a psychologist who treated him at RAF Marham read press reports and said she thought he could be someone worth speaking to.

While serving, he had been injured in an assault in which he was the victim and that seemed to trigger problems which required mental health professionals.

It's believed Palmer developed plans to kill dog walkers and told a mental health professional:

"I would be on a pedestal, up with the big ones, everyone would look up to me, everyone would know me by name".

During sentencing at Nottingham Crown Court, Mr Justice Goose said: "Your offence was substantially aggravated in its seriousness, firstly by the fact that there was a significant degree of planning and of pre-meditation for this murder".

"Secondly the victim was particularly vulnerable, being aged 83 and alone. Thirdly by the extent of the savage violence you used to kill him"

"You took a knife and drove to the scene for the sole purpose of murder."

"You attacked the deceased for no other reason than he was walking his dogs. At the age of 83 and slightly built he was no match for the violence of your attack."

Palmer's parents were also in court as he repeatedly mouthed the words "I love you" towards them before he was told his minimum term.

David Spens QC, defending Palmer, said: "He was suffering from a mental disorder at the time. There is plenty of evidence that he was psychotic.

"The assault on him by a fellow trainee commander back in 2014 appears to have precipitated his mental disorder. There was not any evidence of any aggressive conduct previously."

Mr Spens added that although Palmer is now taking prescribed anti-psychotic medication, he was not taking any at the time of the killing.

In a statement given after the guilty verdict on Wednesday, Ms Todd said her family had been failed by mental health professionals.

She said: "We feel this should not have happened and mental health professionals failed him, his family and our family."