Karl Hutchings, 48, has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years and one month for the murder of Julie Buckley, 55. Hutchings dismembered her body with a saw and buried the pieces in a shallow grave in a field in Wimblington, Cambridgeshire. He provided police with a map to the grave after initially denying murder.
Murder and Disposal of Body
Julie Buckley was last seen alive at a Budgens supermarket in March, Cambridgeshire, on January 28 last year. She had been lodging at Hutchings' home in Christchurch, Cambridgeshire. Both were addicted to class A drugs. Prosecutor Christine Agnew KC told Cambridge Crown Court that Hutchings initially denied murder but changed his plea to guilty on September 15 last year and supplied police with information about the location of Ms Buckley's body. She was discovered in 10 pieces in a shallow grave in Wimblington.
Brutal Killing and Cleanup
Judge Mark Bishop stated: "This was an eruption of violence in the context of drug use." Based on phone evidence, Ms Buckley is believed to have been murdered between the afternoon of January 29 and the morning of January 30. On January 30, Hutchings used Ms Buckley's bank card to purchase food, alcohol, and cleaning products at a One Stop shop in Manea. Days later, he told a female friend he had women's clothing for sale, which she bought. He also told her he could kill someone for her. When asked if he had done "anything stupid," he replied he could not say "until I've got rid of her and cleaned up." He admitted hitting Ms Buckley "over the head with a hammer" because she had not taken him to get drugs and had been taking drugs in front of him.
The judge noted that Hutchings conducted an "extensive clean-up operation." Saw blades containing hair identified as Ms Buckley's were found in a drainage ditch. The judge said he was "sure that you delivered blows to the skull with a hammer where Ms Buckley had taken drugs but was conscious then hit her again and killed her." He branded the murder as "particularly brutal."
Aftermath and Sentencing
The court heard Hutchings withdrew cash using Ms Buckley's card, sold her clothing, and on February 10 sold her car for £500. However, the judge said: "I do not consider that the murder was done for this purpose." Allison Summers, mitigating for Hutchings, told the court he had a "long history of mental health problems and significant drug addiction." The judge acknowledged more than 2,000 police hours were devoted to the case, with officers conducting proof-of-life enquiries until her body was discovered.
Andrew Young, senior crown prosecutor, commented after the trial: "Despite Karl Hutchings' initial claims that the evidence against him was laughable, he eventually changed his plea from not guilty to guilty and provided the police with a map leading to a shallow grave where he had crudely buried Julie Buckley. Our case strategy following the complex investigation relied on a number of experts including archaeologists, anthropologists and a pathologist – who were able to determine how Hutchings brutally killed Julie. We also used comprehensive forensic evidence gathered from the murder scene, direct accounts from those who had spoken to Hutchings and extensive 'proof of life' enquiries. I hope the outcome of these proceedings will bring some form of justice to Julie's family and loved ones."
