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Kevin Shepperson killers jailed for 'chilling' Willenhall flat murder

Victim Kevin Shepperson died after being beaten and left bound and gagged.

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Left, Wayne Kendall, and right top to bottom, Nazeem Kendall and Cameron MacKenzie have been jailed for Kevin Shepperson's murder

Three friends who mercilessly battered, kicked and punched a man to death in his own home have collectively been jailed for at least 63 years.

The unarmed trio grabbed makeshift weapons from inside the flat and launched a ruthless 15-minute attack on Kevin Shepperson as a bungled burglary became a savage murder, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

Wayne Kendall clambered from his home a floor below the victim up the outside of the three storey building and entered through an open window expecting to find him sound asleep on the morning of August 21 last year.

WATCH: CCTV footage captures callous killers

But the 39-year-old was awake so the 22-year-old thug began the assault on the security obsessed man with three bolts and a lock on his front door before letting in his cousin Naseem Kendall and Cameron McKenzie, both 22, to join the gratuitous violence after coming up the stairs of the Bloxwich Road South flats block in Willenhall.

They rained down blows with a broken table leg, a dumbbell and boxing gloves found in the apartment as well as kicked and stamped on the helpless victim fracturing his ribs.

He lay unconscious - gagged, bound hand and foot - on the hall floor for up to six hours before he died, said Mr Alan Kent QC, prosecuting.

Kevin Shepperson's family said their lives had been 'torn apart' by his killing

Death was caused by a traumatic brain injury normally only seen in serious road accidents or high falls.

Meanwhile the three raiders walked backwards and forwards over his prone body after stripping the hoarder's flat of goods, many of which were worthless, the court heard.

Some were sold while others were found in Wayne Kendall's flat where his cousin and McKenzie had been staying.

Police conducted searches as they carried out as investigation into Mr Shepperson's death

They also took Mr Shepperson's bank card and made the mistake of booking a hotel room for the night with it. They were identified through CCTV film taken during their stay.

Mr Kent concluded: "It is not known who struck the fatal blow. This was a joint enterprise."

Mr Phillip Bradley QC, representing MacKenzie from Richmond Street, Chuckery, who pleaded guilty to the murder, said: "This had been planned as a burglary."

A murder investigation got under way at the Bloxwich Road South flats after Mr Shepperson was found

Judge James Burbidge QC declared: "Unfortunately the occupant was awake which changed the crime to a robbery but there came a time when each of them decided to kill him. It is chilling to picture the merciless attack they carried out."

He gave them all a life sentence with minimum terms before they could be considered for parole.

Three men have been jailed for the murder of Kevin Shepperson

Wayne Kendall, who smiled and smirked at the public gallery where members of the victim's family sat as he was taken to the cells, must serve at least 23 years, Nazeem Kendall of no fixed address received at least 21 years - both men had pleaded not guilty - and MacKenzie was given 19 years 4 months with credit for his guilty plea.

Susan Argyle, the mother of Mr Shepperson, said she had been "devastated" by his loss and outlined the torment she endured in a victim impact statement that was not read to the court.

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