Brothers jailed for murdering their own grandfather

Two men who "showed no mercy" to their own grandfather as they tortured him in south London have been jailed for life for his murder.

Paul Peters, 76, was assaulted with fists, feet, bottles and furniture over a two-year spell by half-brothers Wayne Edwards, 33, and Anton Sanderson, 24. Mr Peters' half-naked body was found on the kitchen floor of his Battersea flat on 22 May 2009, the Old Bailey heard.

The court heard Mr Peters had complained to the social services and police a number of times, including days before his murder telling officers: "God knows what could happen to me."



Sentencing the brothers, Judge Martyn Zeidman said: "Throughout history, ordinary people have been moved to do great things to protect their family. "But you have both murdered your own grandfather, and you have done so in a horrific manner, showing him no mercy."

Edward Brown QC, prosecuting, had told the court: "It seems his killing was for no other reason than to satisfy the need of each of these two defendants for gratuitous violence, to be meted out to an elderly and frail man."

Edwards, who lived with Mr Peters, and Sanderson, of Lower Edmonton, north London, both had convictions for violence. They were both jailed for a minimum of 20 years.