Two guilty of man’s murder

Two men were this afternoon convicted of murdering Telford “gentle giant” Neil Williams by strangling him in a violent robbery as he walked home from the pub.The jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court took more than five hours to convict Gabriel Bhengu and Jabu Mbowane of murdering the 41-year-old on a patch of parkland off Churncote, Stirchley, on April 5 last year.

The two men, South African nationals who were in the UK on expired visas, were also found guilty of murdering Sedgley man, Andrew Owen, 10 days after the Telford murder. They showed no emotion as the guilty verdicts were read out.

Kashia Allen, 22, also of Wolverhampton, was found not guilty of murder but found guilty of an alternative charge of manslaughter.

Bhengu was also found guilty of five robberies, while Mbowane was convicted of robbing four people. Allen was found guilty of five robberies. They had denied all the charges.

The gang’s robbery convictions included that of Telford woman Tracie Paxton, who was left unconscious after Bhengu grabbed her around the neck as she walked along the Silkin Way on March 2 last year.

Mrs Paxton who was in court today burst into tears as the guilty verdicts for her robbery was announced. More than 30 friends and family and detectives were in court today.

The Judge Mr Justice Goldring adjourned the case until tomorrow.

The guilty verdicts followed a five week trial where the jury heard of the gang’s violent robbery campaign.

The court has heard how Bhengu, 27, and Mbowane, 26, targeted “vulnerable people” who were either women, had been drinking or were pensioners.

The jury was told how the two men identified all of their victims before Bhengu grabbed them from behind by putting his arm their neck, while Mbowane searched their pockets.

Bhengu pulled his arm so tight around Mr Williams’s neck the 6ft 4ins tall weighing 17 stone could not escape. Despite fighting for his life, he could not escape his attackers.

By Crime Correspondent Kirsty Marston