Man convicted of Helston murder at Plymouth Crown Court

Alexander Channer, 54, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Colin Payne.

Appearing before Plymouth Crown Court on Monday 29 April, Mr Channer pleaded guilty to the murder and will serve a minumum of 15 years.

Following the sentence, Nick Payne the son of Colin said: "Our family would like to thank all the police officers and their liaison officers involved in this case for their professional and sensitive way that they have handed my father’s murder from the start to finish. Also a big thank you to David Osborne from Victim Support for his help and advice.

"We are pleased with the verdict but for my sister, rest of our family and myself we have been cruelly and prematurely robbed of a loving father and a central part of our family.

"We will never forget my dad and will now try and remember the happy times we have spent together instead of focusing on the needless and senseless murder of a good kind man."

Detective Inspector Ellis from Devon and Cornwall Police's Major Crime investigation Team said: “This has been an extremely difficult and tragic set of circumstances for Mr Payne’s family to cope with. I hope that this conviction today will help them to begin to move forward."