Burglar who battered elderly Derbyshire woman to death and assaulted her husband during 'merciless' attack is found guilty of murder

Vasile Culea, 34, subjected Freda Walker, 86, and her husband Ken, 88, to a ‘brutal, sustained and savage' assault at their property in Langwith Junction.

The frail and elderly couple were both severely beaten before being bound, hog-tied, gagged and 'left to their fate' in an attack which was 'devoid of mercy'. A court heard had Culea forced his way into the house on January 14 this year after learning the couple had £30,000 hidden at their home.

The Romanian national 'lay in wait' under the cover of darkness after making several reconnaissance trips around Station Road during the day. He then demanded the money and tortured Freda in front of her husband when forgetful Ken could not remember where the money was stored.

Ken, a former mayor and district council chairman, was found critically injured after a horrified neighbour discovered Freda's body in a pool of blood in the kitchen. The charity worker had multiple blunt force injuries after being battered to death and she was found gagged with plastic bags and a pillowcase over her head.

Ken a retired electrician who had worked in the mining industry, was found bound at the knees under the dining room table also gagged and covered in blood. He survived the attack despite being repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on - but passed away seven months later from natural causes.

Culea was arrested at his home in Church Warsop, Notts, five days after the break-in following a police manhunt.

He was today found guilty of murdering Freda following a two week long trial at Derby Crown Court. He was cleared of attempting to murder Ken but convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent. A jury of 11 men and one woman took two hours and 25 minutes to return their unanimous verdicts.

The court heard how Ken and Freda, who had been married more than 60 years, had withdrawn £30,000 in cash to carry out essential renovations on their home. Culea claimed he overheard discussions about the couple’s stashed money in a foreign food shop and began plotting a way to get into their home.

He is believed to have forced entry into the property shortly after Freda had finished watching her favourite TV show Emmerdale and got up to let the cat out. When Culea broke in and demanded the cash and Ken could not reveal its precise location, it is claimed he became 'incredulous' and resorted to violence

The intruder searched the house for the money but only managed to source £300 from Freda’s purse. Freda, a retired seamstress, was found dead the next morning by a concerned neighbour who came around to check on her.

Prosecutor Michael Auty described the attack as ‘savage in its nature and sustained’. He said: “We say that the defendant attacked this elderly couple in the sanctuary of their own home. The attack was savage in its nature and sustained.

"His primary motive was robbery. He wanted the £30,000 and had gone to quite extraordinary lengths in terms of planning and preparation to ensure he got it. The Walkers had each plainly been the victims of a brutal, sustained and completely merciless attacks.

"The defendant’s actions both in inflicting the injuries he did and in leaving his chosen victims to their fate was completely devoid of mercy."

Culea was spotted on CCTV calmly walking back to his car moments after leaving Freda fatally injured and Ken fighting for his life. Police made a break-through in their investigation on January 19 following the discovery of a cap found at property which has Culea's DNA on it.

Detectives were able to match Culea with CCTV footage from the area and were able to piece together his movements. In the early hours of January 20 police carried out a warrant on Culea’s home address and arrested him and seized his Audi A4.

Bodycam footage from the arrest shows officers shouting ‘police, police’ and telling people to ‘stay where you are’. The officer finds a stunned-looking Culea upstairs before pushing him to his bed and arresting him.

He is bundled into the back of police van while another officer reads an emotionless Culea his rights. Police were able to painstakingly scour hours of CCTV footage and reveal the extent of Culea’s preplanning before the murder.

He’s last spotted at 5.29pm making his last assessment of the elderly couple’s home before the attack – he remerges on CCTV three hours later at 8.48pm.

Culea can be seen strolling casually through the residential area wearing a hi-vis jacket as he makes his way back to his Audi A4.

At 9.11pm CCTV catches Culea cutting a less composed figure as he’s seen jogging to his car before throwing something inside and running off.

Overwhelming evidence brought against him meant that Culea could not deny being in the house - but denied the intention to kill them.

Temporary Detective Inspector Carolyne Van Schaick, of Derbyshire Police, said: “Freda and Kenneth Walker had been members of the Shirebrook community throughout their lives, contributing to life in the area both through their work, their involvement in the local council and through their caring and social natures in general.

“All their friends and family have told of how they have both led hardworking lives and always put others first.

“There is no doubt that having worked so hard over the years that Freda and Kenneth deserved a long, happy retirement and peace in their later years.

“This was taken away from them back in January when Vasile Culea, believing the couple had money in the address, went in with the intention to steal from them.

“When he encountered Freda and Kenneth, he assaulted them, killing Freda and leaving Kenneth for dead. The methods he used were truly shocking.

“Whilst Kenneth may have survived the attack, he had lost his wife and lived out his remaining days requiring constant care before he sadly passed away shortly before this case was due to be heard.

“I would like to thank the family of both Ken and Freda who have shown courage throughout this terrible time, as well as the community of Shirebrook who have supported each other, and this investigation, throughout.

“Whist this verdict can never reverse Culea’s actions on that night I do hope it provides some consolation to those affected by this horrific crime that justice has been done.”

Culea will be sentenced at date yet to be fixed.