According to court proceedings, a statistician was killed in a “dosshouse” in Greater Manchester by an individual who then took the victim’s labradoodle due to a monetary dispute.
39-year-old Ian Connell is alleged to have strangled 45-year-old Donald “Prentice” Patience during a dispute, and then later returned to break into his home and take his dog Layla.
On August 22, police were summoned to Patience’s end terrace residence in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester for a report of a burglary in progress. This was prompted by a postal employee who witnessed suspicious behavior from Connell.
Upon arrival, Connell was seen holding a white labradoodle on a leash outside the premises. He informed the officers that the owner, Patience, was currently in Scotland and had granted him permission over the phone to break in as he needed to walk his dog.
The Crown Prosecution Service claimed that this was the initial of “numerous falsehoods” from Connell. They also alleged that on August 19th, he killed the statistician and continued his normal routine while the victim’s body was left decomposing under a pink duvet cover at the bottom of the stairs.
The court heard that several individuals, including Connell, were accused of taking advantage of Patience’s kind nature by borrowing money from her.
During the murder trial at Manchester Crown Court, jurors were informed that Patience was born in Alness, a town in the Highlands, and earned a degree in actuarial science from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh in 2001.
He was responsible for conducting statistical analysis for pension plans, but the high-stress nature of his job caused him to become ill. As a result, he sought treatment at a Priory clinic for a brief period of time.
In approximately 2005, Patience relocated to Greater Manchester and established a franchise for Domino’s pizza in Bury with one of his siblings. His ex-wife, Kirsty Banks, stated in court that she had met him while employed at the restaurant and they tied the knot in 2012. They have three children together.
Banks reported that in 2015, Prentice was in a car accident that resulted in him being unable to work for a temporary period. As a result, he began drinking more and eventually developed a dependency on painkillers. Patience and Prentice had disagreements when she tried to convince him to go back to work.
In March 2023, Paul Parker, a former coworker at Domino’s, testified that he had received a Facebook message from Patience requesting assistance after his car was stolen and his phone was lost.
Upon his arrival, he did not enter the house, but was able to observe that the interior was in disarray. Parker described it as follows: “There was debris scattered everywhere. He appeared thin and resembled a homeless individual with his long hair and beard.”
“Layla, his dog, appeared unkempt and in need of a bath. The rooms resembled a run-down shelter, with writing visible on the walls in both the reception areas.”
In addition, a testimony from Glen Denning, a colleague of Connell, was presented, stating that the two would use drugs together and that Connell would frequently receive funds from a person he referred to as his “superior.”
Denning remembered a time when Connell supposedly expressed frustration that he was not receiving any more money. According to Denning, Connell said, “He has stopped giving me money. This is ridiculous. I don’t understand why.”
Connell, who is from Bolton, has refuted the accusation of murder. He has also entered a plea of not guilty for the secondary charge of manslaughter.
Source: theguardian.com
