Three jailed over torture death

The three were part of a gang who tortured Mr Baker at his home

Three men who were part of a gang which tortured a 75-year-old man to death in a burglary at his Wiltshire home have been jailed.

Reginald Baker was stabbed and battered in an attack in September 2008.

Daniel Coker, 23, and Trevor Gray, 19, from Salisbury, admitted manslaughter and were jailed for six years and five years and nine months respectively.

At Bristol Crown Court John Wilkinson, of Ferndown, Dorset, was jailed for three years for conspiracy to burgle.

He had been cleared of a burglary charge relating to an earlier raid on Mr Baker's Landford home.

After the murder they drove off without any thought or care as to what had happened to Mr Baker Det Ch Insp Sean Memory

Two other men, John James, 19, and Joby Barney, 25, were found guilty at Winchester Crown Court in May of murdering Mr Baker.

Barney, of Alderholt, must serve a minimum of 30 years in prison and James, of Salisbury, at least 28 years.

At the end of their trial Barney and James were told by Mr Justice Royce their "prolonged, savage and callous attack almost defied belief in any civilised society" and that they did not posses "one ounce of human decency".

'Brutal murder'

The attack was captured on a hidden camera installed after Mr Baker had previously been attacked.

"This is a case where five men conspired together to commit burglary and the subsequent brutal murder of a vulnerable and terminally ill man in his home, said Det Ch Insp Sean Memory of Wiltshire Police.

"The three men sentenced all played a significant part in these offences.

"They were aware that some violence was to be used against Mr Baker. After the murder they drove off without any thought or care as to what had happened to Mr Baker.

"In fact during that evening were socialising as a team," added Det Ch Insp Memory.