Convicted murderer jailed for mansion burglary near Welshpool
A man who admitted burgling a mansion near Welshpool had a few months earlier murdered an antiques dealer who was tied up and beaten at his home.
Harvey Munford stole a Mercedes car, a £5,000 clock, jewellery, riding jackets and other property from a Grade I-listed mansion on an estate near Welshpool.
He was jailed for seven years and four months to run concurrently to his life sentence for murder of a minimum 32 years.
Munford pleaded guilty to burglary of the Grade I-listed mansion on an estate near Welshpool and 38 similar offences in Surrey were considered.
Elen Owen, prosecuting, told Caernarfon Crown Court that the mansion was burgled at night in April 2013 despite sophisticated security including CCTV cameras.
Entry had been made on to the estate through a field and CCTV footage showed two intruders in the building for a couple of hours.
When Munford was arrested his laptop computer was examined and revealed internet search terms "stately homes in Wales" and "stately homes for sale in Wales."
Munford was imprisoned for life on April 1 last year, after being convicted of the murder of jewellery designer and antiques dealer Michael Griffiths, who was tortured at his home in West Sussex.
Jonathan Page, for Munford, told Judge Michael Burr that his client would be in jail until he was about 57 or 58.
Judge Burr told Munford he had been involved in burglaries between 2006 and 2013 involving a very considerable amount of cash and property.
The Mid Wales mansion had four occupants. He carried out the raid "in a thoroughly arrogant and determined manner."
At the time Munford had already committed murder.
The judge said: "This is quite an appalling series of offences."
