Barry Cairns: Two jailed for dumping body near stream
Two men have been jailed for “callously” dumping a man’s body. Barry Cairns, 53, was found dead in parkland in Havant, Hampshire, in June. Tests later showed he died from a drugs overdose.
Police said his body had been removed in a bin from a nearby flat before being left near a stream. Mark Walkley, 43, and Dale Edmonds, 47, were jailed for 22 months and 11 months respectively after admitting perverting the course of justice over the concealment and disposal of his body. In a statement, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said Mr Cairns had been with the two defendants at Edmonds’ flat in Warnford Crescent when he died.
The pair loaded his body into a bin in the early hours of 19 June, before taking it to an area of parkland at Chalton Crescent. Det Sgt Carl Holmes said: “Barry’s body was then callously and inexplicably left in the grass before being found by a member of the public some hours later. “Their disgraceful actions have caused unimaginable pain to Barry’s family.”
The discovery of the father-of-four’s body initially sparked a murder investigation but a Home Office post-mortem examination later concluded Mr Cairns had died of as a result of drug intoxication. Edmonds, of Warnford Crescent, admitted a charge of perverting the course at Portsmouth Crown Court on 24 August. Walkley, of no fixed address, admitted the offence on 26 October.
In a previous statement, Mr Cairns’ family described him as “a caring and cheeky chap, who if he could, would always help those in need”. An investigation into the wider circumstances surrounding his death is due to be led by a coroner. Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
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