A man who fatally stabbed an 82-year-old client has been jailed for life.
David Hall, 48, stabbed Dennis Plater more than 40 times in the kitchen of his customer’s home in Stroud, Gloucestershire, after losing his temper; and then stole all the money he could find.
Plater, a model railway enthusiast, had hired another gardener because of Hall’s unreliability and left an apologetic message on his mobile, informing him of the decision and thanking him for his work. But Hall went to Plater’s house the following day and attacked him after hearing the news in person.
During a previous hearing at Bristol crown court, Hall admitted murder but denied it was for financial gain, saying he lost his temper after Plater refused to shake his hand.
Judge Neil Ford QC, the recorder of Bristol, ruled the killing was not financially motivated but said Hall stole all the money he could find afterwards.
Jailing him for life, he said: “You went to Mr Plater’s home and he invited you in and gave you a drink of water. Only you know what happened thereafter. You say it was when he refused to take your hand, turned his back on you and asked you to leave that you lost your temper.
“You launched a dreadful attack on Mr Plater in his kitchen, stabbing him repeatedly. He suffered over 40 wounds, particularly to his head and face. I have no doubt that when you commenced that attack you intended to kill him. You didn’t check on him, you didn’t call for an ambulance and you didn’t call the police.
“Instead you washed your hands and wiped the knife and removed all the money you could find from that man’s home as he lay dead or dying on his kitchen floor. That was by any judgment an extraordinary callous act.”
Earlier in the trial, Hall said: “I lost my temper. He asked me to leave. I put my hand out to shake his hand and he just pushed it away. I just snapped. I picked up a knife and I stabbed him.”
Hall left the property, using Plater’s key to lock the front door, then threw the used knife and key into a nearby canal. He took a train to Portsmouth and was arrested by police in Southsea, Hampshire, two days later. Officers found £107.99 in his rucksack.
Plater’s body was discovered on 7 November 2014 by his neighbour and another gardener, who used a spare key to gain entry.
The victim’s daughter, Susan Barker, said of her father: “He was a very fair and trusting man. We feel sick he may have been made to suffer in any way.”
Hall was told he would serve at least 18 years before being considered for parole but could spend the rest of his life in prison.
