Man jailed for life over bolt gun murder
John McFarlane has been jailed for life
Friday, 13, Nov 2009 04:55
By Richard James.
A man has been jailed for life for murdering a mother-of-three with a bolt gun.
John McFarlane, 40, earlier admitted murdering Mary Griffins, 38, of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, and was today ordered to spend at least 20 years in prison.
The Old Bailey heard how McFarlane had stalked Ms Griffins after she repeatedly rejected his advances following a meeting at a martial arts lesson.
Prosecutors claimed he decided to seek revenge after she posted a message on the social networking website Facebook claiming he was delusional if he thought they would ever have a relationship.
The 38-year-old had rung the police hours earlier on May 6th expressing concerns about McFarlane.
The court heard how later that day the abattoir worker had smashed into Ms Griffins' house with an axe while she and three daughters slept.
He then shut down the lights in the house before charging into Ms Griffins' bedroom, where she was sleeping with her ten-year-old daughter, attacking her, throwing her down the stairs before bringing her outside the house.
It was then that McFarlane shot her twice in the chest with the bolt gun usually used to stun livestock.
He was later found in the back garden of the property having cut his arms in an apparent failed suicide attempt.
McFarlane pleased guilty to murder at Ipswich crown court last week and was today sentenced at the Old Bailey.
Sentencing the 40-year-old, Mr Justice Bean said: "Three generations of Mary Griffiths' family have suffered a tragic and devastating loss.
"Her children have been deprived of a loving and caring mother.
"Her parents have had to endure the appalling experience of attending the funeral of their own daughter."
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has also launched an investigation into the case.
The independent investigation will look at the circumstances surrounding the murder and how Suffolk police reacted following her call earlier in the day reporting harassment.
A statement from Ms Griffins' family declared: "We stand here with heavy hearts, praying that John McFarlane will never be able to walk the streets again; however, the punishment which was bestowed upon him today will never be harsh or severe enough to compensate for the loss of Mary's life."