A former neighbour of Neill Buchel, who claims his head was smashed in with dumbbells by the men convicted of his murderers, has spoken of his relief to see them locked up.
Former minicab driver Dave Atkinson, 57, of Braintree Road, lived opposite Scott “Gary” Hunt and for a time shared his flat with Mr Buchel and his family.
Returning home on December 11 2013, he found Chas Quye and Mr Hunt – whom he described as “a bit of a bully” – drinking in his flat with the man they were both later accused of murdering.
“I was a bit upset about Neill letting them in, so I asked them to leave,” he told the Post.
“Gary just laughed and said ‘We’re going nowhere.’
“Later he picked up some dumbbells in each hand, and clashed them together against both sides of my face like cymbals.
“I’m glad they’ve been put away now, they fully deserve it.”
Dave, who worked with Mr Buchel’s wife Sharon, also witnessed the murder victim burning his chest hair and beard on fire with his two friends, for one of the group’s Jackass-style videos.
“It was quite scary,” he added. “His whole beard was on fire.
“I tried to get out as quickly as possible and attempted to stay clear of them after that, which was hard when they lived so close.”
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