Andrew Hague, a 31-year-old British man, has been sentenced to life in prison for the mu*rder of his 50-year-old neighbor, Simon Wilkinson.
The men, both residents of a Sheffield apartment building, “had gotten into a dispute after Mr. Wilkinson accused Mr. Hague of being a pedophile.” According to ITV (via Dexerto), Hague — who had a “history of mental health problems” — yelled, “You called me a f idiot. Come out here and fight like a man! “, before attacking Wilkinson with a bag filled with boxes of Pokémon cards (another report on the BBC says they were “tins” of cards).
After repeatedly striking Wilkinson with the bag, Hague, believing he was performing an act of “mercy”, picked up a piece of wood and began attacking the victim in the head, causing “catastrophic injuries”. Wilkinson was determined to be deceased at the scene.
Hague, who has “previous convictions for violence,” pleaded guilty to the mu*rder earlier this year and was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 17 years before becoming eligible for parole.
The court was informed that Hague had “a history of contact with mental health services” and had not been taking his prescribed medication; however, it was determined that “his mental illness was not severe enough for a diminished responsibility or insanity defense.” The presiding judge recommended that Hague remain at Rampton, the Nottinghamshire “high-security psychiatric hospital” where he has been detained since his arrest.
Detective Inspector John Fitzgibbons issued the following statement after the sentencing: “No sentence passed can ease the grief and pain that Mr. Wilkinson’s family and friends have endured daily since his mu*rder, but I hope that with the conclusion of our investigation and legal proceedings today, they now feel that justice has been served for their loved one.”
