Westcliff: Pair Face Life Sentence For Murder

A man and a woman face life in prison for murdering a man in his flat in Westcliff-on-Sea.

The Old Bailey heard how 53-year-old Roy Sly was tortured and killed by Vincent Harty and Marie Turner who had been his friends but turned on him, in Station road in January.

Harty, 39, of Wakering Avenue in Shoeburyness was found guilty of murder. Turner, 33, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

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

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.

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

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.''

Harty and Turner will be sentenced on December 20.