‘I hope you all suffer a brain injury’, murderer tells jury as he is found guilty

Brian Whitelock tortured and attacked neighbour Wendy Buckney with a kitchen knife, a broken table leg and wooden shelving in her own home

Wendy Buckney was murdered by Brian Whitelock at her home in Clydach in August 2022 (South Wales Police/PA Wire)

A convicted double killer told jury members “I hope you all suffer a brain injury” after they found him guilty of the murder of his neighbour.

Brian Whitelock attacked neighbour Wendy Buckney with a kitchen knife, a broken table leg and wooden shelving during a sustained assault in her own home.

The bloodstained and naked pensioner, 71, was discovered in her living room at her house in Clydach, near Swansea, on 23 August 2022.

Swansea Crown Court heard Whitelock, 57, had been jailed for life in 2001 for murder and manslaughter, before being released from prison in 2018.

He was convicted by a jury who deliberated for around 30 minutes following a two-week-long trial on Wednesday.

Following the guilty verdict, Whitelock shouted at the jury from the dock and had to be escorted from the courtroom.

He said: “I hope you all suffer a brain injury, I hope you all suffer a brain injury. I hope you all suffer what I went through. You are all bang out of order.”

Brian Whitelock addressed jury members in his outburst after being found guilty of murder at Swansea Crown Court (PA Archive)

Mr Justice Griffiths apologised to the jury for Whitelock’s “disgraceful behaviour”, adding the murderer is in a “safe place from whence he can do you no harm”.

The judge adjourned the case for sentencing on 20 December.

Whitelock, of Tanycoed Road, Clydach, represented himself during the trial and told jurors he had no memory of the incident and was suffering from a brain injury at the time after he slipped over while out fishing.

Christopher Rees KC, prosecuting, said Whitelock had a long-standing drug addiction and a history of violence.

The prosecutor said Ms Buckney must have “suffered greatly” at the hands of Whitelock before her death, having sustained multiple stab injuries, sharp force injuries and blunt force injuries.

Whitelock had previously been jailed in 2001 after he battered Nicholas Morgan to death with an axe handle and set fire to his body. Whitelock’s brother, Glen, who was asleep, died in the subsequent blaze.

He was released from prison in 2018 and moved in opposite Ms Buckney, who employed him to do odd jobs, including gardening.

During his closing arguments, Mr Rees described to the jury how Whitelock had gone to Ms Buckney’s flat fully clothed, but the next time a neighbour saw him he was covered in blood, wearing just his pants inside out.

Jeffrey Llewelyn, a neighbour, confronted Whitelock outside Ms Buckney’s house while he was kneeling on the front lawn and wiping dirt over his body, where he heard the defendant say “I’ve killed Wendy”.

Another neighbour, Paul Jones, heard Whitelock say “I didn’t realise what I was doing until I came down from the high”.

Whitelock had to be repeatedly told to stop interrupting the prosecution’s closing arguments, accusing them of “playing dirty” and talking “bullshit” and was briefly sent to the cells.

Providing his own closing statement, he told the jury there was “no doubt” that he was suffering from “some form of brain damage” and insisted he did not “set out to hurt anyone”.

In a statement, Ms Buckney’s family described her as a “much loved sister and aunty”.

They said: “Today’s verdict brings some measure of justice for Wendy, who was taken from us far too soon. While nothing can bring her back, we are grateful that the truth has been heard.

“Wendy was a very much loved sister and aunty whose kindness, laughter and spirit touched the lives of so many.”