A man who brutally attacked and killed his friend in what has been described as “an extraordinary explosion of anger and violence” has been jailed for life.
Giuseppe Lomedico, 55, was sentenced to life imprisonment - with a minimum term of 18 years - at a hearing at the Old Bailey on Monday (October 12) after previously being found guilty of the murder of Terry Longman, in Acton, on March 24.
Lomedico was arrested after initially going to police having allegedly discovered the dead body of his friend, Terry Longman, at the flat they shared in Acton.
The court heard how the dad-of-four, initially from Sicily, had moved to the UK in June 2014 and ended up in Acton.
Lomedico had occasionally worked but moved around from bedsits and sometimes even slept on the street, drinking and smoking cannabis when he could afford it, the court was told.
After becoming friends, 50-year-old Terry Longman allowed Lomedico to stay in his room of a flat he shared with others.
The defendant was known to have a history of drinking problems, with one witness describing him as a “situational drinker”.
The court heard how the pair were very close friends, with witnesses describing them as having a fondness between them. Mr Longman was described as "going out of his way to help you out".
Police were led to the flat by Lomedico in March, who walked into Acton police station and told officers that he had been drinking and that he thought that his friend was dead.
At around 9.45pm the same day, police forced entry to the property and found the body of Mr Longman and a claw hammer at the scene.
Lomedico denied responsibility but was arrested and, several days later while being held in remand at Wormwood Scrubs Prison, told guards in bizarre circumstances that he killed his friend. Lomedico had reportedly cut his wrist open and smeared his blood over his face in the cell.
He later admitted killing Mr Longman, saying he had awoken with the victim in an aroused state thrusting and grinding against his body. He said he feared he would be raped.
Lomedico tried to escape but Mr Longman came at him with a screwdriver, he claimed in court. He used a knife first to try and ward off Mr Longman, the court heard, before striking him with the hammer at least 13 times.
'Brutal attack'
During the two-week trial that ran from September 21 to October 2, however, the prosecution ruled this was not true.
The court heard Lomedico took his victim’s bank and Oyster cards and mobile phone before leaving his property and wandered the streets before going to the police station. CCTV footage also showed him trying to sell Mr Longman’s phone in Cash Converters.
Prosecuting, Sarah Plaschkes QC, also spoke of “silent witnesses”, such as blood splatter on the walls, which indicated the defendant had not been moving when hit.
On March 25 a special post-mortem examination took place at Uxbridge Mortuary and the cause of death was given as a head injury.
It is believed Mr Longman had been struck between 12 and 13 times on the forehead with a hammer.
Lomedico was charged on March 26 and was convicted, following trial, on Wednesday (October 7).
Sentencing Lomedico, Judge Michael Topolski QC said: “It must be painful for the family of the victim to find that you have expressed no remorse or regret of a man you called your friend.
“The extraordinary explosion of anger and violence may never be fully known or understood. Something must have happened because you lost your temper and carried out this brutal attack.”
