Lewes landlady murder: Lodger Richard Canlin convicted

A lodger has been found guilty of killing his landlady and dumping her body in a wheelie bin after she asked him to move out.

Richard Canlin, 42, of no fixed address, had denied murder.

During the trial at Hove Crown Court, jurors heard that Canlin killed Nicola Stevenson in a "frenzied attack" with a hammer.

Ms Stevenson's partially decomposed remains were found in Lewes on 13 November last year.

Jurors heard how Ms Stevenson had emailed a police officer on 10 October, the day she was killed, asking for help because her lodger was "getting abusive".

Ms Stevenson, who had a spine defect and a form of dwarfism, had accused Mr Canlin of stealing her pain medication.

The 39-year-old, who used a mobility scooter and walked with a stick, also phoned police on 101, but got no answer, the court was told.

After her body was found a month later, officers visited her home in Stansfield Road and found Canlin "had made himself very much at home", the court heard.

Canlin is due to be sentenced on Wednesday.