Breaking Bad-inspired killer George Knights found guilty of murdering Stephen 'Ginger' Chapman in Rochester before dumping body in acid-filled wheelie bin
Published: 14:59, 09 June 2021
Updated: 20:43, 09 June 2021
A 19-year-old has been found guilty of murdering a dad-of-five before dumping his body in an acid-filled wheelie bin.
George Knights was convicted of the brutal attack after a jury at Maidstone Crown Court returned after just under six hours of deliberation.
KMTV reports on the verdict
He remained impassive as a jury returned a guilty verdict at the end of a month-long trial.
Now Knights, of Delce Road, Rochester faces a mandatory life sentence for the horror stabbing of Stephen Chapman in October last year.
Judge Philip Statman told Knights he was concerned with the level of danger the keep fit and martial arts enthusiast posed to the public.
He told him: "I find this case extremely disturbing" before ordering a psychiatric examination before deciding the minimum sentence Knights will have to serve before being considered for parole.
The judge then commended DC James Greenidge and his fellow detectives for the work they had done putting the case together and said the county should be proud of them.
He then turned to the wife of the victim, Rebecca Leader, who came to give evidence within days giving birth to her third child - the baby Stephen never got a chance to hold.
She remained in court every day - having to listen to appalling details of how her partner was stabbed through the head with a military dagger before his body was put in a stolen wheelie bin and covered in sulphuric acid.
Ms Leader wept as the judge said she should be commended for the dignity she had shown in listening to the horrifying details.
Knights - a self-styled shares trader - had turned his kitchen into a drugs factory to produce amphetamines.
He bought a £300 pill presser from China and stashed sulphuric acid in the kitchen.
And the jury heard of his obsession with knives - having a dagger, a machete and a knife from Crete in his house.
He also bought and sold drugs - which was how he came into contact with Mr Chapman - who he then lured to his home in October last year.
After plunging the knife into his victim's skull, he put the body into a wheelie-bin which he had carried up the road before dowsing it with acid - an incident which had been used in an episode from Breaking Bad.
Then he took the cocaine and other drugs and went partying, even taking a selfie video boasting he would show it when he was in prison.
He will now be sentenced in September.
Read more from this trial
- Victim showed partner picture of murder suspect moments before death
- Gas mask needed for dad's post-mortem
- Victim 'sent enforcer' to accused killer's house, court hears
- 'I thought of getting rid of his body like they do in breaking bad'
- Murder accused 'used TV drug kingpin's name to apply for driving licence'
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Paul Hooper