GORLESTON MAN GIVEN LIFE FOR SISTER-IN-LAW MURDER AND ARSON
A man aged 59, Paul Kelly-Bridle, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 23 years for the murder of his sister-in-law and for arson.The victim, Linda Hood, aged 68, was killed in Gorleston, Norfolk, in June 2021.
Post-mortem examinations established that her cause of death was due to both strangulation and a blunt injury to her face.
During the court proceedings, Kelly-Bridle was characterized as a "pathetically inadequate" individual.
He also received a two-year sentence to run concurrently for the arson act committed after the homicide.
At Norwich Crown Court, Her Honour Judge Alice Robinson explained that the accused’s initial plan was to rob Ms Hood after she received around £16,000 from a trust fund.
Evidence submitted included a £20 note bearing Ms Hood’s fingerprint, found at Kelly-Bridle’s home.
The prosecution argued for a sentence of at least 30 years, citing motives of financial gain and efforts to hide his tracks by setting a fire.
The defense argued that Kelly-Bridle lacked the capacity to reason properly, reiterating his description as "pathetically inadequate." Judge Robinson commented, "You are likely to spend the rest of your life, or most of it, in prison." Detective Chief Inspector Phill Gray expressed his sadness, stating, "Linda was in her own home, a place she felt safe, with a man she knew and probably trusted, when she was violently murdered around her birthday.
Kelly-Bridle has lied from the beginning and continues to deny his involvement; I hope he someday accepts responsibility." Following the sentencing, Ms Hood’s brother, Antony, paid tribute, saying, "Linda was a cherished sister and community member in Gorleston who, despite her learning disabilities, led an independent and meaningful life.
Her life was cruelly ended by a cold and calculated crime orchestrated and carried out by Paul Kelly-Bridle."
