UPDATE: |Man killed his dad and stored body inside cardboard box in garden shed News

The 41-year-old was sentenced at Stafford Crown Court on Wednesday

A man who brutally killed his own father and hid his body in a cardboard box has been sentenced to more than 18 years in prison.

Thomas Sykes, 41, of Burton-on-Trent, was found guilty of the murder of 67-year-old Anthony Sykes following a two-week trial.

Staffordshire Police were called to an address on Byron Road in Tamworth on 19 August 2022 over concerns that the father, known locally as ‘Tony’, had not been seen for a number of days.

When officers arrived at the ground-floor flat, which Anthony shared with his son Thomas, they became concerned about the son’s behaviour and decided to conduct a search of the property.

A member of the force found Tony’s body in a cardboard box in a shed behind the block of flats.

A freshly-dug grave-size hole was also discovered in the garden, with gardening utensils found nearby.

Thomas was immediately arrested on suspicion of murder.

In police interviews following his arrest, Thomas denied any responsibility for his father’s death or seriously injuring him.

He told detectives he had found his father’s body on the floor in the bedroom and panicked.

He said he didn’t know what to do so put his body in a box and was preparing to bury his body.

Forensic examinations revealed blood staining on the carpet in the front bedroom of the property and blood on a cabinet.

The post mortem found that Tony had head and facial injuries and that he had died a few days before officers found his body.

Detective Superintendent Cheryl Hannan said: “This is a tragic case of the death of a man at the hands of his own son.

“I am pleased with the sentence and that that justice has been served.

“We would like to thank the witnesses who, due to their diligence and looking out for their neighbour, ensured Tony was found and could be laid to rest appropriately.

“We would also like to thank the witnesses who came and gave evidence during the trial ensuring justice for Tony.”