Lee Townsend guilty of Southwark murder in England

Yesterday, a man was found guilty and sentenced to serve a minimum of 30 years for the murder of a reclusive man in Southwark.

Lee Townsend, aged 41, was found guilty and sentenced yesterday (15 November) at the Old Bailey for the murder of Andrew Wall, aged 46 on 5 September 2009. He is to serve a minimum of 30 years.

Andrew Wall lived in a one bedroom flat on the Aylesbury Estate in Southwark. Since the death of his dog, two years before, he had hardly left his flat. The only social contact he would have was with his girlfriend and friends who came to visit. Andrew subsidised his benefits with low level dealing in cannabis, alcohol and tobacco – mainly dealing only to his friends.

Andrew had recently lent his drug dealer, Lee Townsend, some money. To his dismay Townsend began to demand more money. Andrew told friends that he was scared of Townsend and had armed himself with a hammer to protect him when Townsend visited.

On 5 September 2009, police were called to Andrew’s home address, 29 Chiltern House, Portland Street, Southwark, by his girlfriend, who had found him dead in his kitchen. He had head injuries but it was not until the post mortem that it was discovered that he had actually been shot twice in the head by a .38 revolver.

Police found the hammer Andrew intended to protect himself with, next to his body on the night he died. He had been shot through the front of his baseball cap that he always wore and again in the left side of his head.

Missing from his flat was his wallet and money, his mobile phone and house keys. The flat contained many boxes of drink and empty tobacco boxes mostly Golden Virginia and Old Holborn.

Officers quickly identified Lee Townsend as a suspect in the investigation and he was arrested on 10 September.

It transpired that following the shooting, Townsend had contacted a man and offered to sell him cannabis and a large amount of tobacco. These are believed to have been stolen from Andrew’s flat. Finally, forensics identified that firearms discharge from the scene of the murder, was on the handlebars of the pushbike Townsend rode everywhere. This discharge was also on his rucksack, his clothing and on money that was found at his family address. Officers also found a footprint made by Townsend at the scene.

Lee Townsend was charged on 30 March 2010 with the murder of Andrew Wall.

Detective Inspector Tim Dobson, from Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: “Andrew was a reclusive character who had helped Townsend out by loaning him some money. Little did he know that this act of kindness was to lead to his own death.

"Lee Townsend killed Andrew Wall in cold blood purely to steal from him. Today’s verdict shows that justice will prevail and that a violent and remorseless criminal has been taken off London’s streets.”