Farmer who hid dismembered lodger's body in concrete-filled barrel jailed for murder

A farmer and former butcher who murdered his lodger, dismembered his body and hid the remains in a concrete-filled barrel for six years, has been jailed.

Christopher Wright, 73, was found guilty in July of murdering his lodger Richard Dyson, as well as conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, prevent lawful burial and firearms offences.

On Thursday he was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 33 years and 353 days.

Mr Dyson, who lived in cars on Wright's land in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, was reported missing by his daughter on 25 November 2019.

He did odd jobs for the farmer, but the pair fell out after Wright, an antique firearms collector, suspected him of stealing from him and selling on possessions.

His family went for years without information on the 55-year-old's whereabouts.

Suspicions were raised when detectives heard that they had previously argued over "stolen guns", South Yorkshire Police said.

But the "hidden crime" was not revealed until July last year, when the force searched a trailer owned by Wright at a nearby farm, where they found Mr Dyson's remains encased in concrete in a blue plastic barrel.

A post-mortem examination found he had died from shotgun wounds.

Wright had shot him in the arm and chest and, over the following days, dismembered him, bought cement from a builder's merchant before concealing the body parts in the barrel.

He then put the barrel in a trailer and persuaded an innocent and unwitting neighbour to store the vehicle.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said forensic experts were able to confirm DNA at the scene as matching Mr Dyson's, and that a name badge bearing Wright's name was also found in the trailer.

Expert analysis of firearms and ammunition recovered from Wright's home address were found to match the type used to kill Mr Dyson.

Police also discovered the defendant's licence to own an extensive firearms collection had been revoked in 2016.

Jamie Barton, senior crown prosecutor for CPS Yorkshire and Humberside, said after Wright's conviction: "For six years, Richard Dyson's loved ones were left without any answers about what had happened to him.

"Despite Christopher Wright's persistent attempts to thwart police investigations and cover up his crimes, we were able to work with South Yorkshire Police to gather evidence and present it in court to expose his guilt."

Speaking of what Wright did to his victim, the judge said: "You had worked as a butcher and were skilled enough to do such a terrible thing, something few ordinary people would have the stomach for."

Wright's childhood friend, Karl Schwalbe, 72, has been convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice after helping Wright conceal the crime. On Thursday he was sentenced to three years in prison.

Wright had called Schwalbe, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on the night of the murder and CCTV footage showed Schwalbe's Toyota Hilux travelling towards Wright's address and leaving around an hour later on the same night.

In her victim's statement, Mr Dyson's daughter, Bethany Dainty, spoke of not knowing what had happened to her father for so long.

She said: "I couldn't grieve because I did not know the truth."

(c) Sky News 2026: Farmer who hid dismembered lodger's body in concrete-filled barrel jailed for murder