Ipswich man facing life sentence for guest house murder

Warren Atkinson, of Norwich Road, had denied murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter in relation to the attack on 37-year-old Stephen Povey at Beaumont Guest House in Norwich Road on July 9 last year. 

However, on Wednesday all 11 jurors convicted Atkinson of the more serious charge and his case has now been adjourned to November 29 for sentencing. 

Judge Martyn Levett told Ipswich Crown Court Atkinson would be receiving a life sentence, but he had to decide the minimum term that should elapse before he would be eligible for parole. 

Addressing Atkinson, he said: “In this case, as you know, to a person who is convicted of murder there is only one sentence a judge can pass and that is life in prison.” 

Steven Povey was murdered at Beaumont Guest House in Norwich Road, Ipswich (Image: Suffolk Police)

During the trial, the court heard that Mr Povey was found lying on the floor on his back in a small top-floor communal kitchenette at the guest house, with a wooden coffee table standing on top of him and a large amount of blood spattering on the walls. 

When he was discovered by the landlady, who had gone upstairs to investigate after hearing banging, Mr Povey appeared to be unconscious and his face was “battered, purple and swollen”. 

She called the emergency services but despite the efforts of paramedics, Mr Povey died at the scene. 

The court heard that there were no witnesses to the incident and there was no history of difficulties between the two men prior to the murder. 

Pathologist Benjamin Swift said Mr Povey had died as a result of traumatic brain injury and blunt force injuries to his neck, which could have been caused by punching, stamping or compression. 

He said Mr Povey’s injuries included two black eyes, a possible fractured nose, brain damage, a missing tooth, lacerations to his lips, a fractured larynx and areas of bruising to his face, head, ears, arms and body.