Man Guilty Of Church Organist Killing

A man accused of killing Sheffield church organist Alan Greaves has been found not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter.

Ashley Foster had been charged with murdering Mr Greaves, 68, but a court decided he was not responsible for his death.

Foster's friend Jonathan Bowling, with who he was accused of carrying out the attack, had earlier been found guilty of murder.

Mr Greaves was so badly injured in the attack a jury at Sheffield Crown Court was told his injuries were similar to those found on victims of a high speed car crashes.

The retired social worker and dedicated community volunteer died three days after being found lying in the street a few hundred yards from his home in High Green area of the city.

Bowling, 22, admitted last month that he had killed Mr Greaves, but Foster, also 22, denied murder. He was found guilty of manslaughter after a three week trial.

The pair, described in court as "virtually brothers", were caught on CCTV walking behind Mr Greaves seconds before he was smashed over the head with a pick axe handle and with another weapon which has never been found.

Mr Greaves was carrying a briefcase containing sheet music to play at his local church Christmas midnight mass as he had done every year for forty years, but the police found nothing had been taken from him by his attackers.

Bowling and Foster had been drinking during the day and prosecutors had claimed that they went out to look for a victim.

Prosecutor Robert Smith QC, told the jury: "If it had not been Mr Greaves it would have been someone else."

The court heard that both men had talked about how "sick" they were, but the jury found that only Bowling had intended to kill the victim.

Foster told the court "Jonno [Bowling] started running up towards the man, he pulled out a pick axe handle. I shouted no to stop him doing it.

"He jumped off the ground and smacked that man on the head. He hit him hard. All you could hear was a big bang sound," he said.

Foster handed himself into police after being recognised by family and friends, but said he was a "witness" to the murder and he and his partner Natalie Evers claimed they were frightened of Bowling.

Mr Greaves' widow Maureen sat in the public gallery throughout the three week trial.

Following his death she said: "I am so truly thankful to have loved and been loved by Alan. I am so proud of the man he was, and of the life that he lived."

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