‘Wild dog’ killer who bludgeoned his aunt to death with a garden spade in vicious attack is jailed for life
Gareth Emery punched and stamped on 'pillar of the community' Anne Dunkley, in an attack called 'brutal beyond belief'
A KILLER who acted like a ‘wild dog’ when beat his defenceless aunt to death on her own driveway has been jailed for life.
Gareth Emery, 25 punched and stamped on 68-year-old “pillar of the community” Anne Dunkley, beating her with a garden spade.
In an attack called “brutal beyond belief” he left the former deputy head teacher with 44 injuries to her head and body.
Emery from Shirley in the West Midlands, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at an earlier hearing.
He was jailed for life and ordered to spend a minimum of nine years behind bars at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, reports.
Sentencing him, Judge Mark Wall QC said: 'Your actions were like that of a wild dog. The attack was brutal beyond belief.
'You hit her with your hands, your feet, and a garden spade, leaving her with 44 separate injuries to her body.”
Kind hearted Mrs Dunkley died in hospital from her injuries after taking six foot tall Emery to a friend's house to help with gardening on June 5 last year.
He launched the brutal attack on the driveway of her home in Marston Green, Solihull and when her son Matthew Dunkley, 39, tried to intervene he was also punched.
Neighbours also tried to stop him but he continued until police arrived to arrest him, the court heard.
Ms Dunkley was a teacher, Girl Guide leader and church warden who was well-known across her home village.
Dozens of tributes were paid to Mrs Dunkley by former pupils and those who knew her through her Guiding role, and flowers were left outside the house following her death.
Judge Wall added: “You are a dangerous man and although I take into account you were suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time, you had a history of violence.
"You have ripped her family apart. Anne Dunkley was loved by the many people who knew her.
";Her death has devastated her family and friends."
Mrs Dunkley's daughter Sarah Forbes told the court her death had “ripped our family apart”.
She said: “My mother supported Gareth unconditionally and both emotionally and financially.
"This has ripped our family apart. My mother was loved by everyone who knew her."
Emery also pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm in relation to attacking Mrs Dunkley's son Matthew.
He will be hospitalised at the Tamarind Centre in Birmingham which treats people with severe psychiatric conditions.
In a statement released after the hearing Mrs Dunkley's family said: 'We are relieved to have reached the end of this legal process and now we can focus on beginning to rebuild our lives.
'We will now concentrate on remembering Anne as she was, full of love, energy and generosity, and the many happy times she shared with so many.'
Detective Inspector Shaun Egan, from West Midlands Police, added: 'The attack devastated Anne's family and I cannot begin to imagine the sense of loss they feel.
'I hope that by knowing Emery has been given a life sentence, preventing him from harming anyone again, will be of some comfort to Anne's family and friends and help them to rebuild their lives.'
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