A convicted double killer has been found guilty of the murder of his neighbour following his release from prison.
Brian Whitelock, 57, attacked neighbour Wendy Buckney, 71, with a kitchen knife, a broken table leg and wooden shelving during a sustained assault in her own home.
The bloodstained and naked pensioner was discovered in the living room of her home in Clydach, near Swansea, on August 23 2022.
Swansea Crown Court heard Whitelock had been jailed for life in 2001 for murder and manslaughter and released from prison in 2018.
He was convicted by a jury who deliberated for around 30 minutes following a two-week-long trial on Wednesday.
Following the guilty verdict, Whitelock shouted at the jury from the dock and had to be escorted from the courtroom.
He said: “I hope you all suffer a brain injury, I hope you all suffer a brain injury. I hope you all suffer what I went through. You are all bang out of order.”
Mr Justice Griffiths adjourned the case for sentencing on December 20.
He told the jury: “I apologise for that disgraceful behaviour, you can be quite certain that Mr Whitelock is in a safe place from whence he can do you no harm.”
Ahead of Whitelock’s outburst, the judge had asked if he wanted a barrister to represent him during the sentencing.
The defendant said: “What’s the point?”
During the trial, Christopher Rees KC, prosecuting, said Whitelock had a long-standing drug addiction and history of violence.
Mr Rees said Ms Buckney must have “suffered greatly” at the hands of Whitelock before her death, having sustained multiple stab injuries, sharp force injuries and blunt force injuries.
He added: “You will also hear evidence of sexual assault upon her – whether this was done by the defendant before, during or after his attack upon her is impossible, forensically, to say.”
Whitelock, of Tanycoed Road, Clydach, represented himself during the trial and told jurors he had no memory of the incident and was suffering from a brain injury at the time after he slipped over while out fishing.
Whitelock had previously been jailed in 2001 after he battered Nicholas Morgan to death with an axe handle and set fire to his body.
Whitelock’s brother, Glen, who was asleep, died in the subsequent blaze.
He was released from prison in 2018 and moved in opposite Ms Buckney, who employed him to do odd jobs, including gardening.
During his closing arguments, Mr Rees described to the jury how Whitelock had gone to Ms Buckney’s flat fully clothed, but the next time a neighbour saw him he was covered in blood, wearing just his pants inside out.
Jeffrey Llewelyn, a neighbour, confronted Whitelock outside Ms Buckney’s house while he was kneeling on the front lawn and wiping dirt over his body, where he heard the defendant say “I’ve killed Wendy”.
Another neighbour, Paul Jones, heard Whitelock say “I didn’t realise what I was doing until I came down from the high”.
The jury also heard Whitelock had previously told doctors he took “30 Polish diazepam a day” bought off the street.
A doctor, who carried out a CT scan ahead of the incident, believed Whitelock’s confusion in the weeks before was caused by drug withdrawal, rather than his head injury.
Whitelock had to be repeatedly told to stop interrupting the prosecution’s closing arguments, accusing them of “playing dirty” and talking “bullshit” and was briefly sent to the cells.
Providing his own closing statement, he told the jury there was “no doubt” that he was suffering from “some form of brain damage” and insisted he did not “set out to hurt anyone”.
He previously told the jury he had not been in trouble with the law since he was let out of prison.
However, the prosecution said this was untrue and that he had assaulted a worker in a Co-op store in Swansea in 2020.
Today’s verdict brings some measure of justice for Wendy, who was taken from us far too soon. While nothing can bring her back, we are grateful that the truth has been heard
In a statement, Ms Buckney’s family described her as a “much loved sister and aunty”.
They said: “Today’s verdict brings some measure of justice for Wendy, who was taken from us far too soon.
“While nothing can bring her back, we are grateful that the truth has been heard.
“Wendy was a very much loved sister and aunty whose kindness, laughter and spirit touched the lives of so many.
“Our lives will never be the same without her, but we will continue to honour her memory every day.
“This has been a painful and heartbreaking journey for our family.
“We thank everyone who has supported us during this incredibly difficult time and we ask for privacy as we continue to grieve and heal in the wake of this tragedy.”
They also thanked the prosecution team for its “dedication and commitment”, and for bringing “the truth to light”.
Detective Chief Inspector Matt Davies said: “We are pleased to hear of the guilty verdict, concluding what has been a thorough investigation into Brian Whitelock’s senseless murder of his defenceless victim.
“The family of Wendy Buckney have been through a terrible and traumatising ordeal due to Brian Whitelock’s actions.
“With this verdict and the upcoming sentencing, I hope that they feel some closure.”
