Somes McFarland guilty of homeless hostel murder in Pool

A man has been found guilty of murdering a fellow resident at a homeless hostel in Cornwall.

Yesterday the jury in the case of Somes McFarland, 28, returned a majority verdict at Truro Crown Court following a week-long trial. McFarland killed Peter Oates, 51, at the Henley House hostel, Fore Street, Pool, on March 25.

After just under seven hours of deliberating the jury found him guilty of murder with an 11-1 majority.

The court had heard Mr Oates, an alcoholic, suffered 19 fractures of the ribs and injuries to his head and neck when McFarland battered him in his room using his hands and feet as "weapons".

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McFarland's defence team had argued he was drunk at the time of the assault and therefore had no memory of his actions.

During the hearing a consultant psychiatrist said McFarland suffers from Asperger's syndrome.

Mr Justice Burnett remanded McFarland in custody until December 21 when he will return for sentence.