If the flat-cap fits

Forensic evidence played a key part in jailing Brian Lawrence – the Hermitage man who battered a pensioner to death with a hammer and then attempted to hire an undercover policeman to kill his former mistress’s husband.

Oct 20, 2005
By Andrew Thomas

Forensic evidence played a key part in jailing Brian Lawrence – the Hermitage man who battered a pensioner to death with a hammer and then attempted to hire an undercover policeman to kill his former mistress’s husband.

Lawrence was told by a judge at Reading Crown Court that he would spend at least 21 years behind bars after being convicted of the murder of Deryk Cox, a 69-year-old man from Caversham, Berkshire.

DNA traces found on a man’s flat cap proved to be vital in pinning Lawrence, 63, to the scene of the murder which happened in May 2001.

Police arrested Hermitage man Brian Lawrence after matching his DNA with that on the

cap, which was found feet away from the dead man`s front door.

Forensics expert Gail Westenbrink told the court that even though mixed DNA belonging to two people was contained in the hat, it is most likely to belong to Lawrence and another person, but not Mr Cox.

“The DNA of two people was found. But it was 1.6 million times more likely that this mixed profile would be observed if the DNA from Brian Lawrence was on the hat than if it was two unknown people.”

During the three-week trial the jurors heard how retired school teacher Lawrence, of Deacons Lane, Hermitage, was obsessed with former mistress Christine Watson and plotted to murder anyone who got close to her, including Mr Cox who befriended her.

Lawrence was also sentenced to 19 years for soliciting to murder Mrs Watson`s husband, Brian, and eight years for soliciting to kill Frank Jose who was a fellow member of Tadley Brass Band.

Lawrence tried to hire an undercover police officer to mow Mr Watson down in a hit-and-run accident, and have Mr Jose mauled to death by a savage dog.

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