Man jailed for killing friend after night of drinking

A man who killed his friend in a "sustained and brutal attack" after a night of drinking has been sentenced to life in prison.

Matthew Hardy, 37, was found guilty of killing Antony Derwent, 52, whose flat in Gwersyllt, Wrexham county, he had been living at for several months before the murder.

The pair had been drinking together at the flat on the night of 6 April 2024, before paramedics were called at 05:30 the next morning.

They found Mr Derwent lying on the floor with "severe facial and head injuries" that proved fatal, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Hardy was ordered to serve a minimum of 21 years in prison at Mold Crown Court on Friday.

The pair had known each other for several years before the murder, the CPS said.

Hardy told police that another man had been at the flat and attacked Mr Derwent, but he was convicted of murder.

"Matthew Hardy killed a man who trusted him in a sustained and brutal attack," said Andrew Slight of the CPS.

"The injuries inflicted by Hardy indicated an extreme level of violence."