Graham Buck Murder: Man Jailed For Life

A man has been jailed for life after he admitted murdering a Good Samaritan who had gone to the aid of his neighbour – a convicted paedophile – during a robbery.

Ian McLoughlin, 55, was ordered to serve a minimum of 40 years for the murder of pensioner Graham Buck, 66, in Hertfordshire in July.

Mr Justice Sweeney said he was barred from passing a whole life term because of a European judgement that deemed such sentences a breach of human rights.

"However, even for a man of 55 years of age, the minimum term of years must be a very long one indeed."

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: "It is the Government's clear view that whole life tariffs should be available for the most serious offenders. That is the position clearly stated in our law, and what the public expects. The domestic law on this has not changed.

"We are considering the Government's response to the ECHR's recent ruling, but this in no way alters that fact and courts should continue to impose whole life tariffs where they wish to do so."

The Attorney General has been asked by a member of public to look into whether the sentence handed down to McLoughlin was unduly lenient.

Speaking outside court, Mr Buck's wife Karen said she was pleased with the sentence but "at the end of the day it does not change anything".

"Graham’s death has left a massive hole in many people's lives and he will be missed but not forgotten," she said.

In court Mr Justice Sweeney read part of her victim impact statement:

"His family, friends and I will never be able to make sense of what happened. There was no justifiable reason and we will be left with that thought, and of his pain and suffering, for the rest of our lives," the statement read.

"I'll never forget the feeling of shock and numbness when I was told he'd been killed."

She said telling her daughter news of the death was "the worst act I have ever had to carry out in my entire life".

McLoughlin had been released from a murder sentence and went straight to visit an elderly man who he had met earlier in prison.

The court heard how McLoughlin had intended to steal money from Francis Cory-Wright, who was jailed for 30 months for indecently assaulting a 10-year old boy in the 1970s.

He tied the 86-year-old up in his home in the village of Little Gaddesden, near Berkhamsted.

During the violent struggle, Cory-Wright called out for help. His neighbour Mr Buck tried to intervene but was met on the driveway by McLoughlin who stabbed him.

Another neighbour described how Mr Buck's throat had been slashed "wide open" in the attack.

He died on his front lawn, with his pet dog sitting beside him.

The killer then went on the run hiding in London before being arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police in Tottenham.

He later told officers he intended to hurt Cory Wright but he regretted his attack on Mr Buck.

He said: "I'm not sorry for what I did to the nonce, but I'm sorry for what I did to the pensioner."

McLoughlin was on day release from prison where he was serving a life term for the murder of Brighton barman Peter Halls, whom he stabbed multiple times in 1992.

He had previously been jailed for the manslaughter of Len Delgatty, 49, in 1984, whom he hit over the head with a hammer after a row, before leaving his body in a cupboard.

Mr Buck's family said that shortly before the murder he had travelled to Poland to see relatives and to meet his newborn granddaughter.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: "It is the Government's clear view that whole life tariffs should be available for the most serious offenders. That is the position clearly stated in our law, and what the public expects. The domestic law on this has not changed.

"We are considering the Government's response to the ECHR's recent ruling, but this in no way alters that fact and courts should continue to impose whole life tariffs where they wish to do so."