Former alter boy Christopher Hunnisett found guilty of murder

The 28-year-old, of Chanctonbury Drive, St Leonards, killed 57-year-old Peter Bick, at his home in Bexhill in January last year.

After Hunnisett blungeoned Mr Bick, who worked at Asda in Silverhill, to death, he walked into the police station to confess.

He claimed he was protecting vulnerable people from sex offenders, a trial at Lewes Crown Court heard. But there was no evidence that Mr Bick was a paedophile.

Hunnisett denied murder but admitted manslaughter through diminished responsibility.

When he was found guilty of murder by the jury, Hunnisett jumped out of the dock and had to be restrained.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Sloan, of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime team, said: “This was a terrible crime, and the jury were clearly unconvinced by Hunnisett’s claims about his motives for carrying out such a cruel and deliberate killing.

“Peter Bick’s sister, together with her husband, has been present at court throughout the trial and they have had to listen to Christopher Hunnisett deliver utterly unfounded personal attacks about the character of her brother.

“They have endured this with great dignity and this is testimony to how they have conducted themselves since Peter was murdered.

“What exactly was motivating Hunnisett in the lead up to the murder and afterwards we will perhaps never really know, but there is no doubt at all that society is a safer place now that he is in prison.”

Mr Bick’s sister, Yvonne Cowling, and her husband Peter, said: “On behalf of my parents Eileen and Bernard, we as a family would like to say that we are glad that the whole ordeal is now over and we can now be left to grieve for the loss of my brother.

“He will be sorely missed by a large number of friends and family. The one thing he didn’t deserve was to have such violent and horrendous death, so therefore I hope that Mr Hunnisett will never have the opportunity to commit a similar crime.

“We would like to thank and acknowledge all the hard work that Detective Chief Inspector Nick Sloan and the Sussex Police have done, with special thanks for the support and comfort from the Family Liaison Officers and the Victim Support Team.”