A 69-year-old pensioner who battered a country and western singer to death with a scaffold pole is today starting a life sentence of 11 years after being found guilty of murder at Winchester crown court the Gazette has learnt.
William Heywood went armed with a metal pole to sort out Richie after his partner fell in love with the country and western singer.
Heywood’s partner Ann Allen told him she was leaving to go and live with the married singer Richie Ball.
The court heard that the pair watched Ball performing at the Sands Hotel Culver parade in Sandown and she fallen in love with him.
The pair Ball and Allen started to have an affair behind Heywood’s back. After she told him that she didn’t love him and her future was with the country and western singer.
Heywood tracked the pair down to the pub were Richie was performing. Heywood armed with the pole attacked the singer as he was returning to his car. The pensioner smashed the pole across the singer’s head fracturing his skull. Richie spent three weeks in a coma with brain damage before he died.
A Jury returned a unanimous verdict of Murder after Heywood claimed he attacked the singer in self-defense.
Speaking after the sentence relatives of Mr Ball, Stuart Ball and Marnie Butcher said: “We would like to thank the police officers involved with the case regarding the brutal killing of our father.
“Our father was an extremely talented and popular man who we were all very proud of. His work as a musician touched many people and for this we are grateful, and know that his death has not just affected us.
“We would like to give special thanks to friends and family for their continued support and love at this extremely stressful and tragic time.”
