Two teenage brothers who beat angler to death with plank of wood then joked about being on the run are locked up for life for murder - while their cousin is jailed for 13 years for manslaughter

  • Lenny and Shane Crawt and their cousin Charlie Smith murdered fisherman
  • Court heard Scott Wilkinson was on a nighttime fishing trip when he was killed 
  • He was punched, kicked and stabbed before smashed over head with wood 
  • Shane and Lenny Crawt, aged 19 and 18, were both jailed for life for murder 
  • Smith was jailed for 13 years for manslaughter for attack near Sunbury Lock

Shane (pictured) and Lenny Crawt, now 19 and 18, were both jailed for life for murder at Guildford Crown Court yesterday, and 24-year-old smith was jailed for 13 years for manslaughter

Shane (pictured) and Lenny Crawt, now 19 and 18, were both jailed for life for murder at Guildford Crown Court yesterday, and 24-year-old smith was jailed for 13 years for manslaughter

A keen angler was beaten to death with a plank of wood during a summer fishing trip by two teenagers and their cousin.  

After Lenny Crawt, 19, Shane Crawt, aged 18, and their cousin Charlie Smith, murdered Scott Wilkinson, the sick trio then bragged to pals they were on the run for murder, telling them 'we just killed a man'.

Mr Wilkinson ,48, had been enjoying a summer fishing trip on Donkey Island, near his home in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey in July 2016, when he was murdered.

Shane and Lenny Crawt, aged 16 and 17 at the time of the incident, were both jailed for life for murder at Guildford Crown Court yesterday, and 24-year-old Smith was jailed for 13 years for manslaughter. 

After his partner left, Scott was attacked by the trio of young thugs - who were the only other people camping on the little island.

The evil gang punched, kicked and stabbed Scott before smashing his head in with a piece of wood, causing fatal head injuries.

The jury heard how Shane and Lenny Crawt and their cousin Charlie Smith had been camping on the island as well.

Smith, of no fixed abode, and his cousins fled to nearby Grovelands Park, and met a gang of youths they knew.  

Shane, from Purley, South  London, and Lenny, from West Molesey, Surrey, will serve a minimum of 15 years.

Smith, 24, was sentenced after being acquitted of murder.

He will serve half his sentence and the remainder of the sentence on license. 

Scott Wilkinson (pictured) was battered to death with a plank of wood by brothers Lenny and Shane Crawt, who were just 16 and 17 at the time, and their-then 21-year-old cousin Charlie Smith

Scott Wilkinson (pictured) was battered to death with a plank of wood by brothers Lenny and Shane Crawt, who were just 16 and 17 at the time, and their-then 21-year-old cousin Charlie Smith

According to Surrey Police, one of the three said 'I wouldn't say anything if I was you because we killed someone tonight.'

Smith told an old school friend that he was on the run 'for murder' 

Judge Johnathan Black said: 'The three of you left the island without checking how badly he was hurt and without alerting the emergency services,' said the judge.

 'He was placed into the River Thames and left to die alone and without succour.'

The three men had denied involvement in Mr Wilkinson's death - which records from a heart monitor he wore suggest did not occur until three hours after the assault on the night of July 27 2016 - and in court deployed what is known as a 'cut-throat defence', blaming each other for the murder.

The three men had denied involvement in Mr Wilkinson's death - which records from a heart monitor he wore suggest did not occur until three hours after the assault on the night of July 27 2016 - and in court deployed what is known as a 'cut-throat defence', blaming each other for the murder.

Charlie Smith
Lenny Crawt

The jury heard how Shane Crawt, Lenny Crawt (right)  and Charlie Smith (left) had been camping on the island as well

The trio were convicted on Friday after after a five-week trial.

An earlier hearing heard, the keen angler is believed to have spoken with the thugs, shortly before the attack.

They were the only other people on the island and Mr Wilkinson was later reported missing by his girlfriend.

The Crawt brothers hid his body in shallow water and the island was deserted when emergency workers went looking for the 48-year-old angler.

However, they found an abandoned tent drenched in blood and his body was later recovered from the river.

A post mortem examination showed he had been killed by a blow to the head with a blunt object.

CCTV footage shown to the jury during the trial showed the Crawts and Smith leaving the island on the night of the murder.

The jury was told the men in the three tents had been seen burning clothes and were 'on the run'.

In statements read out on Tuesday by prosecution counsel Paul Cavin QC, Mr Wilkinson's family spoke of the 'devastation' they felt after his murder.

'We exist,' said the statement prepared by his parents, brother and aunt.

'We function, we go through life in a robotic state, hurting deep within our soul, crying inside, and yearning for some solace, which never comes.

'We will never recover, we will never find peace in a world without Scott.

We will never be the same again and we will never forgive those responsible.'

A statement read out on behalf of Mr Wilkinson's four sons also spoke of the loss they felt, and the counselling two of them had required after hearing the news of their father's death.

One said: 'Most people hold on to childhood memories of their father. Before the vicious and senseless action of that night, I would think of these childhood memories whenever people would talk about their fathers. 

Sentencing the three, Judge Black said there no motive had been presented for the killing, but several theories had been suggested by the prosecution.

'This was not a senseless, motiveless crime,' he said.

'There were intimations that robbery had been planned, or he was to be taught a lesson as he had removed and hidden your fishing gear.

'It is quite clear the three of you discussed how the combined attack was to be carried out.'

DNA evidence has also established that the three men had tried to return to their pitch and destroy evidence linking them to the crime

DNA evidence has also established that the three men had tried to return to their pitch and destroy evidence linking them to the crime

Detective Inspector Paddy Mayers, who led the investigation said: 'The sentences given today reflect the severity of the ferocious actions the three took that night back in 2016.

'Today and always our thoughts and sympathies remain with Scott's family.

'I hope the sentences can begin to provide them with some closure for what happened knowing that those responsible are finally where they belong.' 

Passing sentence, Judge Black mentioned that no motive had been advanced for the killing, but several theories had been suggested by the prosecution.

'This was not a senseless, motiveless crime,' he said.

'There were intimations that robbery had been planned, or he was to be taught a lesson as he had removed and hidden your fishing gear.

'It is quite clear the three of you discussed how the combined attack was to be carried out.'

The judge found there was 'a significant degree of pre-meditation', adding:

'The defendants had a motive, they waited until it was dark, they waited until [Mr Wilkinson's partner] Lisa Lane left the island and they armed themselves with a weapon.'

In mitigation, Smith's barrister, Graham Trembath QC, argued that his client could not have foreseen the risk of death or serious injury to Mr

Wilkinson in the attack, although had clearly intended him 'some harm', adding that Smith was 'utterly immature' at the time.

Both Joe Stone QC and Tyrone Smith QC, barristers for Shane and Lenny Crawt respectively, mentioned their clients upbringing in care and relative youth at the time of the murder.

Mr Stone said Shane Crawt had led 'a fairly atomised, pointless existence' while Mr Smith argued Lenny Crawt had experienced a 'fractured upbringing' and suffered under the 'toxic' influence of his older brother.

Mr Smith sought to argue that Lenny Crawt's role was restricted to 'encouragement' while his brother carried out the attack, but Judge Black disagreed, finding that all three had physically taken part in the assault.

He said: 'Despite your relatively young age, all three of you are well known to the criminal justice system.

'It is clear that all three of you had already embarked on a career path of offending.

'Nothing that has been said on your behalf seems to mitigate in any way the awfulness of your behaviour on that night.' 

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