A man who confessed to stabbing medium Derick Marney to death to a tarot card reader on Brighton seafront has been convicted of murder.
At Croydon Crown Court on Monday (9 May), after a two-week trial, Star Randel-Hanson, 50, was found guilty of the murder of Derick Marney, 70, at the latter’s flat in Vernon Terrace, Brighton, in April last year.
Randel-Hanson was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years.
The body was discovered on Monday 4 May and a post-mortem established that death resulted from a 6 inch stab wound to the side which punctured vital organs
After killing Marney on Monday, 24 April, Randel-Hansen continued to live in the flat, leaving the body in the kitchen where he had committed the crime, for ten days before his comments to a tarot card reader on Brighton sea front were reported to the police.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Rymarz of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team said; “While it is not clear exactly what motivated Randel-Hansen to stab Marney, the evidence showed that the stab wound was deliberate.
“He had been living at Marney’s flat for several months, apparently on good terms, having first met at a local spiritualist church. However their relationship seems to have had some problems, culminating a dispute of some kind on the day Marney was killed.
“Randel-Hansen was in the kitchen when Marney came in, and he maintained in court that the fatal injury took place when the victim came in unexpectedly.
“Our investigation, including the forensic evidence and his own contradictory statements, showed otherwise to the satisfaction of the jury.
“This was a tragic case, and our thoughts go to the victim and his family over a such a violent and unexpected crime.”
This year’s trial was the second Mr Marney’s family had to sit through, after the first one collapsed in October last year due to Randel-Hansen’s refusal to give evidence or cooperate with his defence team.
Derick Marney’s sister, who has asked not to be named, said; “I still cannot believe that Derick is no longer with us. This past year has been so difficult for myself and my family.
“Having to sit through a re-trial has prolonged our grief.
“The jury’s verdict today has slightly eased our pain.
“Although Derick will always be in our thoughts I’m hoping my family and I can now start to rebuild our lives.”
