NORFOLK FREEZER MURDER LANDLORD MICHAEL TUCKER'S SENTENCE CUT
A pub owner from Norfolk, who previously shot his partner in the head and concealed her body in a freezer, has had his minimum imprisonment term decreased following an appeal.Michael Tucker, aged 50, was convicted of the murder of Rebecca Thorpe at Norwich Crown Court in May and received a life sentence with a minimum term of 26 years.
In 2010, he placed her body inside a freezer at The Compasses pub in Snettisham.
On Wednesday, a panel of three judges at the Court of Appeal reduced his minimum term by four years, stating that the original 26-year minimum was excessively high.
The judges noted that such a lengthy tariff is generally reserved for more severe cases such as drive-by shootings or gangland violence.
During his trial, Tucker, who was battling alcohol dependence, admitted to killing Miss Thorpe but denied murder, claiming he acted under provocation.
The jury, however, rejected his explanation and found him guilty.
The Court of Appeal also heard that their relationship had become tense due to financial difficulties at the pub and Tucker’s suspicions that she was seeing someone else.
Rebecca Thorpe’s remains were discovered in a freezer at The Compasses pub.
Lord Justice Pill explained that Thorpe had taunted Tucker about his jealousy during her bath at the pub flat.
Tucker then acquired a shotgun from the pub’s premises and shot her in the back of the head, leaving her body in the bath for approximately two days.
Subsequently, he wrapped her body in a sheet and stored it in a shed freezer outside, where it remained for at least ten days.
After the murder, Tucker attempted to carry on normally, began a relationship with another woman, but eventually panicked and fled to the Isle of Wight.
From there, he sent letters to the police and his new partner, admitting his involvement and revealing the body's location.
Advocate Karim Khalil QC argued that the original sentencing judge had unfairly equated the crime with notorious cases involving public executions or gang violence.
He requested a reduction of the minimum term, considering Tucker's cooperation in recovering the body and mitigating circumstances.
The judges agreed that the initial sentence had overestimated the severity of the murder, leading to the lowered minimum term.
