Tilgate murderer back behind bars

A CONVICTED murderer threatened to kill his son-in-law saying - "I will batter you until there's no tomorrow".

Patrick Lynch, a convicted killer from Tilgate, is back behind bars after issuing "vile" death threats to his son-in-law when his marriage started to go wrong.

Lynch, 56, of Whittington Road, was freed early from a life sentence for murdering his wife in 1993.

A court heard how he strangled her to death when they lived together in the London borough of Bromley.

Prosecuting at last week's Guildford Crown Court hearing, Graham Smith told how, in 2003, he was released on licence from prison and in 2005 married his fourth wife Brenda.

The court heard their marriage soon ran into problems, so Brenda went to stay with her daughter Belinda and her husband Martin Bailey in Reigate, Surrey.

Shortly after this the "vile and disgusting" death threats began towards Mr Bailey.

Lynch rang the home of church caretaker Mr Bailey, threatening to stab and batter him to death.

The court heard one of the messages said: "I'll kill you. I'm going to knife you and your wife.

"I'll batter you until there's no tomorrow."

Giving evidence, Mr Bailey said: "I thought he really meant what he was saying. It left me really shaken.

"I called the police immediately.

"The messages were vile and disgusting."

Mr Bailey said he was especially scared and shocked when he heard the threats - especially as he had just learnt of Lynch's conviction for murder.

He added: "I believed that he deserved a clean slate when he came out and the chance to be a decent citizen.

"I had my suspicions he might still be on licence. Every week he'd return to Bromley on a specific day."

Lynch denied making threats to kill but was convicted after a trial last week.

He was remanded in custody until April 23, when he will be sentenced.