Gateshead landlord murdered over rent arrears

Gateshead landlord murdered over rent arrears

17:08 PM, 5th February 2013, About 11 years ago 5

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Landlord MurderedA Judge in a Newcastle Upon Tyne has sentenced a man named Karl Bestford to life imprisonment and a minimum term of 22 years for the murder of Gateshead landlord Simon Meech.

Described by other tenants as being “the perfect landlord” Mr Meech had visited his flat to discuss rent arrears amounting to hundreds of pounds with his tenant.

The Court heard that Bestford stabbed and mutilated Mr Meech, before fleeing the scene of the crime in his landlord’s car.

Bestford denied murder at the trial but was convicted by jury.

The family of Simon Meech says it’s been left ‘utterly heartbroken’ and issued the following statement:-

“Simon was an incredible man, so deeply loved by all his family and friends. Our loss of him in July 2012 completely devastated our lives and left us utterly heartbroken. We have been left with such painful emptiness in our live. Simon’s children have been robbed of the most wonderful father; to us this is far and above the most painful and tragic part of our loss”

Police have described the killing as a ‘savage attack’.

Please feel free to debate this issue and leave respectful messages for the Meech family in the comments section below


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Comments

Jamie M

1:51 AM, 7th February 2013, About 11 years ago

What a sad sad tragedy for all concerned.

This almost happened to me, but instead of one of my HMO tenants stabbing me, he stabbed another tenant sinking a 7 inch blade into his chest, missing his heart by and inch or so. He lived thanks to luck alone and the drunken moron who stabbed him is (or was) in prison. (he has probably been let out by now for doing the dishes correctly for 5 years)

We live now in a society I don't recognise from the one I grew up in. Successive Governments and do gooders in councils and agencies, the press et al, have combined their insistence of human rights and their rescuing everyone from everything approach to disastrous effect for 40 years odd. And now Britain is laced with feckless losers of which nothing is asked of or demanded and yet everything is done for them. They are next to useless, expect stuff to happen and blame everyone but themselves for how their lives have turned out. (they have a small point there as their idleness and feckless ways (screwing 20 drunken birds and fathering 40 kids, or screwing anyone to get 4-5 kids from 4-5 males (men is a bridge too far) and a big house on benefits. They are encouraged to do all this and its up to us to pay. this is a disgusting existence perpetuated by supporters in power desperate for a voting mass amongst a society that doesn't bother to turn out to vote much these days. Dear Simon Meech died because of many thinks such as care in the community (what a farce, and I know believe me, i have 35 properties and dealt with many many situations close to this tragedy) and the like are an utter farce. I have called local authorities, one 12 times to report child abuse witnessed by me and neighbours only to be passed around from person to person department to department over 3 days, until I was screaming obscenities down the phone for some useless prick to take action and help these children. Ignored, they wouldn't visit, wouldn't do a bloody thing. Look I could write a trilogy on this but no one cares. Baby P and Simon Meech are a result of the pen pushing bullies who run local authorities and agencies supposedly looking after our interests and vilifying landlords at every moment. They are sorting out forms that are evidence they have tried AND their pay rates and pensions! They do anything but deal with the real issues in our society which are too problematic for those 10am to 3pm layabouts who insist on giving hopeless people the rent to pass on to their landlords ha ha ha. There goes another £100,000 of my money.

Sorry about the rant, I'd love to keep going but I have to chase 12 tenants who owe me £18,000 and keep asking them politely and nicely as Simon did as I can't to anything to them to get it as I will be incarcerated for being a shitty whatever.

Dear Simon tried to get his rent, the rest is so so sad. Its time for a change, a huge change. I hope this tragedy is a wake up call but I have absolutely no faith in ANY service in Britain from the police, the courts, the councils and the uncivil service and lying politicians. They are all busy looking out for No1. Rest in peace Simon.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

11:49 AM, 7th February 2013, About 11 years ago

I don't think I ever had the privilege of meeting Simon but I may be wrong as I have presented to 10's of thousands of landlords across the UK and have visited the North east to deliver seminars on many occasions. God rest his sole and my deepest condolences to his loved ones. It frightened me and sicked me when I first learned of what had happened and it has taken me until now to think what to write here. RIP Simon.

19:07 PM, 7th February 2013, About 11 years ago

I for one concur with your rant; you have stated what many people think in this country about the issues you have raised.

We are the great dispossessed.

The silent majority or whatever!

We are continually s--t on by all and sundry and we have to pay for all the lazy feckless layabouts you have so aptly described!

We are assailed by those at the bottom and those at the top who do not comply with their societal responsibilities and is mugs like us who have to pay for the lot of them.

I think a -anker is now more despised than even LL and that is saying something!!

Will the silent majority ever rise up and bring down the whole rotten set up.

I doubt it.
Just make sure you are ready to let to all the Romanians and Bulgarians that will be receiving HB when they arrive in vast numbers on our shores very soon.
That will increase the HB and Child benefit bill by about 5 billion pounds.
How did we ever have an Empire!?..............anyone now just takes the p out of the British welfare system, including NHS..............which I thought was for the British citizens and not for the rest of the world to come over here and use!!
But hey what do I know!!!

philip allen

22:19 PM, 7th February 2013, About 11 years ago

Well said J.Moodie, even Paul Barrett is agreeing with you!
Surely, our double-barrelled 'tripeskyist' has a view?

18:31 PM, 25th July 2013, About 11 years ago

My friends and I ( Eastwoods and Gouldsboroughs) were at college with Simon and were trying to contact him to invite him to a silver wedding. We are so sorry about your tragic loss...we have only just found out by searching for him. We will always remember him with much love. Our deepest condolences, Rick, Mandi, Nicola and Simon xxxxx

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