Norwich: Stephen Grimwood guilty of murdering Mark Franklin

The body of Mark Franklin, 58, was discovered at his home in Appleyard Crescent, Mile Cross, Norwich, by police on April 29 this year.

Stephen Grimwood, 64, of Shipfield, Norwich, had gone on trial at Norwich Crown Court having denied the murder of Mr Franklin, who died as a result of "devastating blunt force trauma" to the top of his head.

A jury of nine men and three women took three hours and one minute to find him guilty of murder.

Grimwood, who wore a green jumper in the dock, appeared emotionless as the verdict was announced and looked at the floor.

Judge Alice Robinson adjourned sentence until Tuesday, January 3.

The two-week trial heard police were contacted after Mr Franklin could not be contacted by his doctors, having failed to attend a number of appointments.

Mr Franklin, who had last attended his doctors' surgery on Monday, April 25, was found by police when they went to his home at 9.30pm on April 29.

Stephen Spence, prosecuting, said Mr Franklin was dead and it was immediately clear he had suffered a "significant head injury to the top and back area of his head".

He said: "To put it bluntly his skull had been smashed in and he was killed as a result of that".

Officers who attended thought Mr Franklin had been shot so devastating were the injuries to the back of his head which had exposed his skull.

The court had heard how bloody footprints were discovered on the kitchen floor of Mr Franklin's home.

Forensic analysis of Grimwood’s shoes showed traces of the Mr Franklin’s brain and blood.

Grimwood, who had known Mr Franklin for about 15 years and went round to see him two or three times a week, was picked up on CCTV in the area having visited the victim a number of times in the early hours of April 26.

CCTV captured Grimwood at Mr Franklin’s house four times between 3.58am and 5.30am on Wednesday 26 April.

Grimwood was also picked up withdrawing £500 from Mr Franklin's account at Lloyds Bank on Aylsham Road, Norwich.

It was after that withdrawal of cash from the victim's account that Grimwood "went on something of a spending spree" in the coming days.

He bought back his iPhone from a pawn shop in the city as well as two pairs of trainers and other items.

Grimwood’s clothing captured on CCTV footage at the time of the killing has never been recovered.

White trainers Grimwood had been wearing at the time of Mr Franklin's death were not recovered, black shoes worn by the defendant on a later visit to the victim's home were.

Mr Spence said the shoes contained blood matching the DNA of Mr Franklin as well as "human brain material".

The prosecutor told the jury there had been some sort of falling out between Grimwood and Mr Franklin "maybe about money or about something else".

Grimwood, who liked to bet on the horses and football, told police Mr Franklin also liked to gamble but stopped after his father passed away at the start of the pandemic as he "couldn't afford to lose".

Grimwood, who the jury was told owed the victim about £3500, was asked whether Franklin had any financial problems and replied "no".

When asked if he had financial problems himself, Grimwood replied: "I wouldn't say problems but sometimes it was hard to make ends meet".

Speaking after the case, Det Insp Lewis Craske, who led the murder investigation, said: “This was a violent attack that was so ferocious it appeared to officers who discovered Mark’s body that it may have been a shooting.

"It’s impossible for most of us to even imagine committing such terrible violence to another person.

“It’s very sad that Mark’s life ended with such brutality and at the hands of someone he considered to be his friend – in fact, Grimwood was perhaps one of the few people who had been a consistent presence in his life over several years.

"Today’s result will never bring Mark back, but I hope it goes some way to ending this awful ordeal for his family.”