The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A Spalding man will be sentenced for the murder of Vincent Markham after an application to vacate his guilty plea was refused by a judge.
Samuel Church, 36, faces a sentence of life imprisonment after he previously admitted the murder of Mr Markham and setting a fire which destroyed his home.
Church of Acacia Avenue in Spalding, had been due to stand trial at Lincoln Crown Court in February this year after previously pleading not guilty to murdering Mr Markham, 52.
Before his trial began Church entered a guilty plea to murdering Mr Markham on 7 August 2022 and a second charge of perverting public justice by setting a fire at the property in Farrow Road, Whaplode Drove.
Sentence was due to take place in May but that hearing was adjourned after Church indicated that he wanted to vacate his guilty plea to murder.
Church appeared at Warwick Crown Court in October but an application to vacate his guilty plea was refused by a judge.
A hearing at Lincoln Crown Court today (Fri) heard Church will now be sentenced on 19 January 2024 by Judge Simon Hirst.
Church had entered his guilty pleas on a basis that he did not intend to kill Mr Markham but did intend to cause him really serious harm.
Prosecution barrister Katherine Goddard KC confirmed members of Mr Markham’s family had been told about the decision.
Miss Goddard told the February hearing it was understood that Church was intoxicated when he visited Mr Markham’s home with an intention to settle their difference one way or the other.
Miss Goddard said that plea was acceptable to the Crown Prosecution Service after serious consideration was given to the medical evidence.
“We maintain there was a serious assault on Mr Markham,” Miss Goddard added.
Following the February hearing Judge Hirst told Church: “You have pleaded guilty to murder and perverting the course of justice.
“You know a sentence of life imprisonment awaits you. What you don’t know is the minimum term of detention that you will serve.”
Lincolnshire Police previously said Mr Markham died as a result of an assault at a property in Farrow Road, at Whaplode Drove, on 7 August 2022.
Emergency services were called to the property following reports of a fire at the home at about 1am.
Mr Markham died at the scene, and police said ‘100 per cent’ of the home was destroyed in the incident.
Church was taken to hospital following the incident and was arrested whilst there.
He remained under arrest, and with police guard until his release from hospital, where he was taken into police detention and charged with murder.
