Anthony Morley was convicted of murdering and dismembering his boyfriend before cutting up his flesh and consuming it
West Yorkshire Police handout photo of Anthony Morley(Image: PA)
The brutal murder that a Crown Court Judge described as the most gruesome he had ever seen sent shockwaves through the gay community and wider UK society, with the details of the crime emerging to widespread horror.
Anthony Morley, who was crowned the first Mr Gay UK in 1993, was found guilty of the murder and dismemberment of his boyfriend, an act which included cutting up and eating his flesh, a trial that left West Yorkshire and the nation reeling.
At 36 years old, Morley received a conviction for the murder of Damian Oldfield in October 2008 at Leeds Crown Court, where he was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 30 years behind bars, as reported by Yorkshire Live.
Judge James Stewart QC, during the sentencing, expressed his disbelief to Morley, as quoted by The Mirror: “This is one of the most gruesome murders I have encountered. I associated cannibalism with eras long gone, with the tale of Robinson Crusoe. No longer.”
After watching Brokeback Mountain together in bed, Morley stabbed his 33 year old partner to death, then proceeded to slice, cook, and consume parts of his body, reports the Express.
Leeds Crown Court erupted into applause upon hearing Morley’s sentence, weeks after jurors learned how the former chef allegedly seasoned and cooked pieces of Damien’s flesh, with a chewed piece later found in a kitchen bin.
Morley had denied the murder of the advertising salesman, insisting he acted in self-defence against an alleged rape attempt. In a scene resembling a shocking horror movie, Morley was seen strolling to a nearby takeaway wearing only his blood-stained dressing gown and flip-flops.
He eerily asked the staff to call the police before sitting outside to await his arrest.
Mr Andrew Stubbs, QC, for the prosecution, told the jury that Morley had arranged to meet Damien, who worked for the publishers of a gay magazine titled Bent, in April 2007 in Leeds.
Text messages exchanged between the pair earlier that day revealed Morley’s struggle with his sexuality, confessing in one: “Never been really properly gay. Tried being bi, tried being straight but never been a hundred per cent happy. Maybe one day I will find happiness.”
The evening unfolded with both men at Morley’s Leeds home, where a dinner was prepared. It ended tragically when, after going upstairs, Damien was dealt a lethal slash to his throat beneath the duvet and fell to the floor where he suffered repeated stab wounds, some inflicted post-death.
Upon arrival, the police encountered a gruesome scene. An unsettling discovery; a nine-inch section of skin and flesh, nipple intact, had been carved from the victim’s chest and left beside the body, with a bank card grotesquely positioned on the appalling wound.
Additionally, an eight-inch piece had been sliced from his thigh.
The prosecutor told the court that police discovered six pieces of the victim’s cooked flesh on a chopping board. He added that a seventh piece of cooked flesh, which appeared to have been bitten into, was later found in a bin bag in the kitchen.
Forensic analysis confirmed that Morley’s DNA matched saliva found on the flesh. When arrested, he allegedly told officers: “Someone tried to rape me and I have killed that person. “.
While in custody, he was overheard muttering: “I cooked him a nice meal. I said to take it slow, why did he do that?”.