EXCLUSIVE Pensioner, 85, murdered his Falklands veteran neighbour, 60, with a spade while he slept after a petty feud over a scratched car in ‘real-life Midsomer Murder’

• Thomas Dunn, 85, was in a feud with Roy Costello, 60, over a scratched car 
• The two men lived next door-but-one to each other in Sandbach, near Crewe  

A pensioner of 85 murdered his neighbour with a spade in their sheltered accommodation after a feud over a scratched car. 

Thomas Dunn battered 60-year-old Falklands veteran Roy Costello over the head as he dozed on the sofa in what has been described as a ‘real-life Midsomer Murder’.

The pair lived next door-but-one to each other in a warden-controlled block of flats in the leafy Cheshire town of Sandbach, near Crewe.   

In the months before the killing, the men had clashed because Mr Costello believed Dunn had twice deliberately scratched his vehicle. 

Yesterday, Dunn, also an Army veteran, pleaded guilty to murder. 

The Mail has learned that tensions between the pair had been brewing for months because Mr Costello suspected Dunn of vandalising his Hyundai Tucson. In May last year, Mr Costello, who lived with his second wife Cathy, 66, discovered the letter ‘x’ etched into the car’s doors. He reported it to police, but officers claimed there was not enough evidence to prosecute.

Eight months later, Mr Costello discovered similar scratches – this time the letter ‘z’ – on the doors of his new electric Nissan Qashqai. He reported Dunn again and, on February 19, officers from Cheshire police arrived at the complex and interviewed him.

Thomas Dunn (pictured) battered 60-year-old Falklands veteran Roy Costello over the head as he dozed on the sofa in what has been described as a ‘real-life Midsomer murder’

Falklands veteran Roy Costello

The following day, Dunn waited for Mrs Costello to go out to walk the couple’s chihuahua, Chico, before attacking Mr Costello in his home.

Armed with a spade, Dunn entered the couple’s apartment via the front door, which was open, and struck Mr Costello three times over the head.

Mrs Costello found her husband of 20 years moaning and struggling to breathe with ‘blood all over the suite, the carpet, everywhere’ when she returned 15 minutes later.

Father-of-two Mr Costello was taken to the Royal Stoke Hospital in a critical condition and spent three weeks in a coma and six weeks in intensive care. Despite his injuries, he was recovering well when he died two days after surgery to fit a feeding tube in his stomach on April 20.

Dunn, a widower who is suffering from cancer, left the block of flats on his electric bike after the assault. He was arrested by police 20 miles away, in Wilmslow, and admitted attacking Mr Costello, but insisted he did not vandalise his cars.

In an exclusive interview, Mrs Costello told the Mail she had asked managers at Anchor, the housing firm which manages the flats, to install CCTV cameras outside the block after their car was vandalised.

‘I just feel so angry because it should never have happened,’ she said.

‘We had asked Anchor to install CCTV, but they said it wasn’t necessary. The police have also told me Dunn has a record for assault, so why was he allowed to move here?’

Mrs Costello, a retired carer, said she was considering taking legal action against the housing company.

She added: ‘The scene I came home to that day was absolutely horrendous, it still plays on my mind. Roy was asleep and wouldn’t have known what was happening. But I am full of what-ifs. What if I had woken him up, what if I hadn’t gone out at that time – but I can’t let myself think like that.’

Chester Crown Court (pictured) heard Dunn had been assessed by a psychologist and had underlying mental health problems

The pair lived next door-but-one to each other in a warden-controlled block of flats in the leafy Cheshire town of Sandbach, near Crewe

Mr Costello, a grandfather of six, served in the Royal Engineers for 14 years and survived the bombing of the RFA Sir Galahad in June 1982, which killed 48 soldiers and crew. 

He worked as a security guard on the railways, but was forced to retire because of heart problems. Mrs Costello said there were always ‘niggles’ between her husband and Dunn. 

Describing Dunn as ‘belligerent,’ she added: ‘I just told Roy to ignore him. 

‘The other residents loved Roy. They had a bench made for the communal garden, where I go to sit. It has a plaque which says, “in memory of a true friend”, which he was.’ 

A source told the Mail: ‘It is not something that usually happens in a place like Sandbach, it’s a real-life Midsomer Murder.’ 

Chester Crown Court heard Dunn had been assessed by a psychologist and had underlying mental health problems. 

But Peter Wright, KC, defending, said: ‘These are insufficient to satisfy the requirement so far as a defence of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.’ 

Judge Steven Everett told Dunn he would be jailed for life when he is sentenced next month. 

An Anchor spokesman said Dunn had failed to disclose his convictions when he moved in. 

‘We extend our deepest condolences to Mr Costello’s family at this extremely distressing time,’ he added. ‘We will continue to work with the police and other agencies.’ 

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