Murderer on day release stole from town charity shop

Peter Overy, 64, was sentenced to life imprisonment in July, 1991, for the brutal murder of his landlord, Roger Walker.

Overy used a heavy engineers' hammer to smash Mr Walker's skull, beating him over the head 18 times.

He then tied a plastic bag over his head with a scarf and stabbed him three times, leaving the knife embedded 21 centimetres in his abdomen.

Overy then helped himself to cheque books, credit cards and personal jewellery belonging to his victim and spent more than 3,500 on nightclubbing and restaurants.

He was transferred to Ford as he neared the end of his minimum jail term and began working on day release at the charity shop in 2004.

Appearing at Worthing Magistrates' Court on Thursday, Overy admitted stealing 220 cash and debit cards belonging to his former girlfriend, Theresa Best, and 400 from Barnardo's charity shop in Littlehampton on March 6.

Kirsten Sharp, prosecuting, said Overy had taken cash, debit cards and keys to the shop safe from Miss Best's home, before going to the shop and stealing the money.

Lucinda Dore, defending, said Overy had been released on licence and working at the shop for more than a year prior to the thefts.

She said he had met and fallen in love with Miss Best while the two worked together. He was left stunned in March when she told him she wanted to finish the relationship.

Miss Dore said he had phoned Miss Best immediately after stealing the money to confess, before travelling to London, where he spent the stolen money while staying with a friend.

She added that he had handed himself in to police upon his return.

Miss Dore said he had "acted on impulse" and was "absolutely appalled by his actions".

She added that he was due for parole in June, having been recalled to prison after his arrest last March, and he wanted to pay back the money he had stolen.

Magistrate Richard Etherington described the thefts as "clearly a breach of trust", adding: "You have let everyone down, including yourself."

Overy was sentenced to three months in prison for the burglary at the charity shop.

He was also sentenced to one month in prison for each of two further counts of theft against Miss Best, all sentences to run concurrently.