'Cruel and sadistic' killer copied horror film in friend's murder
Gary George, 41, will serve a minimum of 30 years after he tortured and mutilated Andrew Nall, 53, then left his body in a pool of blood on his bedroom floor.
George was obsessed with witchcraft and horror films, particularly The Loved Ones, a 2009 Australian film in which an attack takes place with "chilling similarity" to the death of Mr Nall, Chester Crown Court was told.
He beat his victim and inflicted 49 separate knife wounds, including a wound carved into his stomach which had salt poured onto it. He poured a liquid, thought to be cleaning fluid, into Mr Nall’s eyes while he was still alive.
Passing sentence, the Recorder of Chester, Judge Elgan Edwards, said: "This was a cruel and vicious attack. It was also a sadistic attack.
"I am satisfied that in behaving in the way you did, you were aping the conduct in a film of which you were obsessed, namely The Loved Ones."
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As in the film, which the judge and jury were forced to watch during his trial, many of the horrific acts were committed whilst Mr Nall was still alive.
His body was discovered lying in a pool of blood in his bedroom at his flat in Liverpool Road, Chester, on August 30 last year.
After the killing George, a homeless alcoholic, went into an off-licence where he told the shop assistant: "I've just killed my best mate."
He initially denied the murder but changed his plea to guilty last week as his three-week trial was coming to a close.
George showed no emotion as the judge told him he took advantage of the fact Mr Nall, an alcoholic, was drunk. Judge Edwards added: "You killed him in a most cruel and sadistic way and you enjoyed doing so."
Prosecutor Ian Unsworth QC told the court that Mr Nall, a former supermarket worker, was subjected to a "brutal, ruthless and sadistic attack" in his own home.
"He was beaten, kicked and stabbed on dozens and dozens of occasions," Mr Unsworth said. “A strange long wound was carved into his abdomen, salt was found on his wounded body. He was tortured."
George, the barrister told the trial, had a keen interest in witchcraft.
Mr Unsworth added: "He watched horror films. One film in particular that he liked to watch was called The Loved Ones, a violent horror film.
"In a chilling precursor to what befell Andrew Nall, one scene depicts a man being stabbed on multiple occasions, his chest having a letter carved into it before salt was thrown on to the wound."
George was caught when he was arrested for assaulting another man who he slashed with a broken bottle just 10 hours after the murder of Mr Nall.
During his police interviews he disclosed that he had murdered someone, levelling false accusations that his victim was a paedophile and a rapist.
Christine Holleran, 50, was present Mr Nall was killed, but cleared of murder and manslaughter by the jury after telling them she played no part in the killing, and describing George as “like the devil."
In an emotional victim impact statement, which was read to the court, Mr Nall's sister Fiona Hall said the family had been left "reeling" by his untimely death.
"Never did any of his family expect to have to deal with the aftermath of such a heinous crime… (It was) a wholly undignified end indeed to a life cut short at the hands of someone to whom he had extended the hand of friendship."
Mr Nall’s family added: "He would have had no idea that George was a sadistic bully capable of the most extreme violence.
"The cruel and callous way in which Andrew died leaves us unable to feel anything other than utter contempt for his killer.
"He took the life of a kind and caring man attempting to justify his actions by making untrue and wicked allegations that cast aspersions on his victim's character.
"The lengthy sentence imposed reflects the gravity of his crimes which gives us some consolation. Seven months on our collective grief is still immense.
"The trial has been a harrowing experience for everybody, especially those who loved Andrew - he has gone from our lives but lives on in our hearts."