countryside fredia: Church Organist Killers Sentenced To 34 Years

The murderer of a church organist who was on his way to midnight mass has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 25 years.

Sheffield Crown Court heard that Jonathan Bowling, 22, had written a "letter of remorse" to his victim's widow just hours before his sentencing.

But afterwards Maureen Greaves said she did not intend to read it and that it was inappropriate for the defendant to write to her so long after her husband Alan had been murdered.

Sixty-eight-year-old Alan Greaves was heading to church in High Green, Sheffield when Bowling "chose him at random as a victim" and beat him about the head causing injuries "consistent with a road accident".

Bowling was with his close friend Ashley Foster, 22, at the time.

Judge Mr Justice Nigel Teare described the attack as "gratuitous, reprehensible and horrific".

He told Bowling: "Alan Greaves happened to be in front of you on his way to serve his community as he had always done and you decided to inflict violence on him."

He said that Bowling was "entirely indifferent" to the fact that the injuries might have resulted in death.

Before sentencing Robert Smith QC, prosecuting, said that the murder of Mr Greaves was "a crime without motive".

He said: "He was killed for no reason other than he was identified as a suitable victim."

He told the court that Bowling had several previous convictions for violent crimes going back to the age of 15.

In some he had brandished a hammer and in another he had been convicted of wounding after attacking a jogger.

Bowling had already pleaded guilty to murder but Foster was convicted of manslaughter on Thursday after denying murder.

Adrian Waterman QC, representing Ashley Foster, said that the convicted killer has "intellectual difficulties" and was heavily influenced by his friend Bowling.

He said that Foster may have been present during the murder but used no violence himself.

Foster was jailed for nine years for the manslaughter of Mr Greaves.

Mr Greaves had left his home around 11pm to walk to his local church of St Saviour's.

He had planned to play the organ for midnight Mass as he had done for the past 40 years.

Fifteen minutes later a passing delivery driver found him on the pavement with head injuries. His face was covered in blood and doctors found a piece of wood embedded in a head wound.

He had been attacked with a pick-axe handle and died in hospital three days later.

His widow, who sat by his hospital bed on Christmas Day, said she did not hate her husband's killers and spoke of forgiveness.

Mrs Greaves said after the conviction: "Alan was a man who was driven by love and compassion and he would not want any of us to hold on to feelings of hate and unforgiveness.

"So, in honour of Alan and in honour of the God we both love, my prayer is that this story doesn't end today.

"My prayer is that Jonathan Bowling and Ashley Foster will come to understand and experience the love and kindness of the God who made him in his own image and that God's great mercy will inspire him to true repentance."

Mr and Mrs Greaves had been married for 40 years. Both worked for Church Army and devoted a lot of time to charity work.?

Mr Greaves established a new food bank project just weeks before his death.

Following the murder Maureen Greaves told Sky News: "I am so truly thankful to have loved and been loved by Alan.?

"I am so proud of the man he was and of the life that he lived."