16/12/2009

PO Raiders Guilty Of Murder

Three men were today convicted of the murder of Craig Hodson-Walker who was shot dead in a raid at a Post Office in Worcestershire.

A fourth member of the gang was cleared of murder and attempted murder but had already admitted attempted robbery.

Christopher Peter Morrissey, aged 32, of Elmay Road, Sheldon, Birmingham, Declan Paul Morrissey, 33, of Shirley Park Road, Solihull, and Anselm Ribera, 34, of Topfield House, Druids Lane, Druids Heath, Birmingham, were all convicted of murder and attempt murder at Birmingham Crown Court at the end of a lengthy trial.

A jury found them guilty of the murder of Craig Hodson-Walker, aged 29, who died from a single gun shot after they burst into the Fairfield General Stores on Stourbridge Road on January 9 this year.

They were also convicted of the attempted murder of Craig's father Kenneth, who was also shot but survived, and charges of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, and attempted robbery at the post office stores.

They had denied all the charges.

Their getaway driver Adrian Vincent Snape, 25, of Camelot Way, Small Heath, Birmingham, was found not guilty of murder, the attempted murder and possessing a firearm but admitted the attempted robbery at Fairfield.

All four men will be sentenced on Friday 18 December at Birmingham Crown Court by Judge Treacy.

(PR/BMcc)

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