Westcliff: Pair Face Life In Prison For Murder

Two people from Essex are set to be sentenced today (Thursday December 20th) for torturing and murdering a man in his flat in Westcliff.

Roy Sly, 53, was tortured and killed by Vincent Harty and Lisa Marie Turner who had been his friends but turned on him, the Old Bailey heard.

Harty, 39, of Wakering Avenue, Shoeburyness, Essex, was found guilty of murder earlier this month.

Turner, 33, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

Mr Sly, who lived apart from his former wife and three children because of his heavy drinking, had bought steak and wine for his guests, but at midnight, one of them cleared his bank account of £105 at an ATM.

Mr Sly was later subjected to torture and beating which caused his death at his home in Station Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, in January.

William Clegg QC, prosecuting, said: "They beat and tortured that poor man until he died in what must have been agony.''

After he died, one of the defendants stuck a hypodermic needle in Mr Sly's arm to make it appear that he died from a drugs overdose.

Mr Clegg added: "His face was so badly beaten that police could not tell whether the corpse they were looking at was that of a man or woman.''

A second man, Peter Smith, 38, of Furnace Row, Troedyrhiw, Merthyr Tydfil, was cleared of murder and discharged. end