THE man who murdered and dismembered 49-year-old Simon Shotton has been jailed for life, with a minimum term of 19 years.

Benjamin Atkins, 49, was told the violence he inflicted upon Mr Shotton was ‘ferocious and unnecessary’, and would have caused ‘unbearable pain’.

Atkins’ girlfriend, Debbie Pereira, was sentenced to four years for her involvement, after being labelled a ‘joint participant in what happened’ to Mr Shotton’s body after the murder.

As reported, Atkins killed Mr Shotton during a fight on August 18, 2023, before dismembering his body and disposing of the parts around Boscombe.

While most of the remains were discovered in the weeks that followed, Atkins refused to disclose the location of Mr Shotton’s head until February of this year.

To this day, only fragments of the skull have been recovered.

Read more: Detective speaks on Boscombe 'body parts' murder probe

During a six week long trial at Winchester Crown Court, it transpired that Pereira allowed Atkins to dismember Mr Shotton in their Aylesbury Road flat, and had taken ‘active steps’ to help him dispose of evidence.

She was found guilty of perverting the course of justice by a unanimous verdict, but not guilty of murder.

Mid-way through the trial, Pereira had given a guilty plea to preventing the burial of a corpse – a charge she had previously denied.

Simon ShottonSimon Shotton (Image: Dorset Police)

Atkins was found guilty of murder by a majority jury verdict, having previously admitted to charges of perverting the course of justice, and preventing the burial of a corpse.

The pair were sentenced on Friday, July 26.

The Honourable Mrs Justice Stacey told Atkins he used ‘extreme violence’ which was ‘wholly out of proportion’ to the threat Mr Shotton posed during the fight.

She said: “He received several knife wounds to both his arms and hands from trying to defend himself and he had 12 sharp force wounds to his torso, shoulder and back.

"You admitted that the final blows that killed Simon were inflicted when you were on top of him and stoved his head in with a speaker several times, after you had gouged his eye out with your thumb. He was no threat whatsoever to you at that stage as well you knew.”

Addressing Pereira, The Honourable Mrs Justice Stacey said: "You [and Atkins] were in it together before and after Mr Atkins had killed Simon.

"Without your help Mr Atkins could not have done what he did. You could have called the police at any time.”

After the sentencing hearing, Mr Shotton’s family issued the following statement: “All the family of Simon James Shotton would like to give a very big thank you to everyone involved with our son’s case.

“Also to the jury, who had to sit through some very unpleasant evidence - thank you to you all.

“Also a very special thank you to our family liaison officers Liz and George, who have been there for us all the way your support has been a great help to us all.

“There will be no further comments from the family.”