Man sentenced to life for Crawley Down double murder
Daniel Appleton killed his wife and an elderly woman three days before Christmas 2019
Last updated 26th Jan 2021
A man convicted of two counts of murder has been given life in prison, with a minimum of 26-and-a-half-years.
Daniel Appleton, 38, of Hazel Way, Crawley Down, was found guilty of killing his wife and Sandy Seagrave, who tried to intervene, outside a property on Hazel Way on December 22, 2019.
Appleton was convicted of two counts of murder by a jury on December 29, 2020 after a six-week trial.
The trial heard how he attacked his wife Amy, 32, on the driveway of their home before also fatally injuring Sandy, 76.
Three psychiatric assessments considered Mr Appleton to have suffered a brief psychotic episode. Small traces of a drug similar to LSD were later found in samples of his hair and nail clippings.
He accepted responsibility for the killings but denied using drugs, however the jury determined that was a factor.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Chris Friday of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team said: “This was an incredibly difficult and emotive case, and I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who supported the police investigation and helped us secure this conviction.
“Our thoughts continue to be with the families of Amy Appleton and Sandy Seagrave. We know nothing can bring Amy and Sandy back, but we hope this lengthy sentence does bring some comfort in knowing justice has been done for their loved ones.”