LITHUANIAN MAN RECEIVES LIFE FOR OSWESTRY CHIMNEY SWEEP'S MURDER
A Lithuanian national has received a life sentence after being convicted of killing Margaret Wycherley, a chimney sweep from Oswestry.Gintautas Psenaska, aged 44 and without a permanent address, admitted to the charges and was told he must spend at least 16 and a half years behind bars before he can apply for parole, deducting the 332 days he has already served.
The court was informed that Psenaska carried out a violent assault over two hours, during which he punched, kicked, and stomped on the 63-year-old victim before strangling her with her own scarf.
Prosecutor Peter Haynes revealed that phone records showed Mrs Wycherley's Lithuanian lodger made multiple calls to her relatives during the assault to update them on the situation.
The attack took place on May 31 of the previous year, after the defendant had been drinking for three days.
Defense attorney Roger Smith explained that Psenaska, who moved to the UK with his family in 2005 and had been staying as a lodger with Mrs Wycherley since June 2008, was allegedly provoked by sexual advances from her.
