A fugitive who managed to evade the police after he brutally killed a dog walkerwas eventually caught after making one key mistake.

Roy Barclay, 56, had been on-the-run and living off-grid to avoid the cops for two years when he viscously attacked grandmother Anita Rose, 57. The murderer struck the 57-year-old with "numerous kicks, stamps and blows" as she walked her beloved springer spaniel Bruce in Brantham, Suffolk, on July 24, 2024. At the time of the attack, Barclay had been on-the-run to avoid recall to prison over a breach of his licence conditions.

The evil fugitive managed to evade cops again for three months after the horror crime but was eventually caught due to one piece of information the criminal gave out. He was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in jail today.

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Barclay had previously been jailed for fracturing nearly every bone in an 82-year-old's face, 10 years ago, but was released from prison. The criminal attacked pensioner Leslie Gunfield in 2015, leaving him with serious head injuries, after he told Barclay he would inform security about him going through rubbish bins at a Co-op supermarket.

After his release in January 2020, the attacker shaved his head and lived in hidden makeshift camps with no fixed address. A recall notice for the attacker was the issued when he made himself homeless, which breached the terms of his licence.

He avoided the police for two years, while posting hundreds of local Google Maps review under his name and even using his bank card.

His vanishing act came to an end in October 2024 when Det Con Barry Simpson spotted the criminal on a local bridge and stopped to speak to him after thinking he looked like the wanted man. Det Con Simpson said he started to become more suspicious due to the man's "nervous" and "anxious" behaviour.

The fugitive gave the officer a fake name and address but handed over his real phone number, which would eventually lead to his arrest. Suffolk Police was able to run this number through their system and confirm his identity.

Police released bodycam footage of them arresting Barclay at Ipswich County Library on suspicion of murder. The fugitive denied murder but he was found guilty following a trial at Ipswich Crown Court. On Wednesday, the murderer was jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years.

Judge Martyn Levett described Barclay as "someone prone to dangerous outbursts at the slightest confrontation" who'd refused to explain the "horrific violence" of his attack on Anita. The victim's heartbroken family shared emotional statements to the court.

Her partner Richard Jones spoke of how he and the grandmother had "planned to grow old together". He said: "It only started to feel real when she was no longer here and the court case progressed. I've had to hear about awful injuries my Anita was subjected to... hearing what I have heard haunts me and continues to haunt me."