Husband, 74, who hired hitman to murder his shopkeeper wife is jailed

A man who hired a hitman to kill his then-wife to start a new life with his lover more than 40 years ago has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years.

Allen Morgan, 74, of Brighton, was unanimously convicted by a jury of conspiracy to murder Carol Morgan at Luton Crown Court.

Carol Morgan, 36, was found hacked to death at the convenience store she ran with her husband, then aged 31, in Linslade, Bedfordshire, on August 13 1981.

At the time of the victim's death, there was not enough evidence to charge anyone in connection with the case and her husband was not considered a suspect, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

According to Bedfordshire Police, the case was reopened by detectives in 2018 following a review by a cold case team.

Morgan was tried alongside his current wife, Margaret Morgan, 75, who was also charged with conspiracy to murder but was acquitted, police said.

The court heard that the killer, who has never been identified, used a heavy weapon to hack at Carol Morgan, causing fatal injuries to her body and skull.

Mr Justice Martin Spencer, sentencing 'wicked' Morgan on Monday, said: 'The brutality of the killing shocked all those who attended the scene.'

He went on: 'Only one person knows the identity of the murderer and that is you, Mr Morgan.

'That is the secret which you have harboured for the last 40 years.

'The law has now caught up with you, and you must pay due punishment for your part in this crime, but the murderer remains at large, if indeed he is still alive.'

The prosecution told the jury that Allen Morgan had been having an affair with the second defendant at the time of Carol Morgan's death, but felt he could not divorce his wife because of financial issues.

After Carol Morgan's murder, Margaret Morgan, who was then called Margaret Spooner, left her husband and moved in with Allen Morgan.

The couple later married and have been together ever since, the court heard.

The jury was told that a witness, who was 17 at the time of the murder, had come forward in 2021 and told police that Margaret Morgan had brought her to a pub where Allen Morgan had asked whether she knew anyone who could help him kill his wife.

Over the nine-week trial, it was revealed that the killer had stolen cash from a secret drawer in the shop's office, suggesting that they had been given inside knowledge and the money was part of the payment for the murder, Bedfordshire Police said.