Bilston murderer jailed for at least 17 years after battering friend to death

Aleksejs Lusnikovs unleashed an onslaught of terrifying violence on 42-year-old Deniss Buzmakovs who suffered 60 separate injuries after popping round to see him.

The furious attacker, also 42, shattered a chair by hurling it against a wall and then used one of the broken legs to bludgeon his drinking buddy at least ten times on the head and body, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

The victim was also kicked and stamped on in the living room of the powerfully built murderer's home in Beckett Street, Bilston, where the discovery of a rusty screw from the leg embedded in the wall indicated the force used.

Judge Michael Challinor told the defendant while giving him a life sentence with a minimum of 17 years jail: "You literally beat him to death in a sustained and ferocious attack. Then you left him and went to bed.

“You showed a callous disregard and was seen laughing and joking with the police later that night.

“But you showed obvious remorse when giving disarmingly frank evidence to the court.”

Mr Buzmakovs, who lived with his partner and two children in nearby Hatherton Road, suffered a traumatic brain injury when the left side of his skull was fractured during the barrage of blows.

The lack of defensive injuries suggested he was knocked out at the start of the onslaught but the gratuitous violence continued unabated for some time.

He had 25 fractures to 17 of his ribs some of which tore his liver in several places while his voice box, cheek and breast bone were also fractured during the September 9 onslaught.

Mr Buzmakovs was also kicked and stamped on by the defendant who left imprints of the blue Crocs he wore on the body.

Mr Gregory Bull QC, defending Lusnikovs, who showed no obvious sign of emotion when convicted of murder: "There is abundant evidence that these two men were on good terms prior to this. That changed when something happened while they were in the house together.

"He smashed a chair against the wall in anger during circumstances that are unclear and used one of its legs as a weapon. This was not a pre-planned attack and he regrets it bitterly."

The murderer phoned police to say there was a body at his address and allowed the dead man's partner into the house before officers arrived but warned her not to become 'hysterical.'

The Latvian-born men met 12 years ago when Lusnikovs, who had just settled in Bilston, sold a car to Mr Buzmakovs and the pair of heavy drinkers soon became friends. A blood test taken after his death showed the deceased was almost three times over the drink-drive limit. His mother and partner declined to comment.