Updated: Man who killed gay lover from Hebden Bridge is jailed for life

A man murdered his gay lover and dumped his dismembered body in a canal just 115 days after leaving jail for killing his girlfriend.
David Mitchell. Given a whole life jail term today for killing Robert Hind and dismembering his body in Huddersfield.David Mitchell. Given a whole life jail term today for killing Robert Hind and dismembering his body in Huddersfield.
David Mitchell. Given a whole life jail term today for killing Robert Hind and dismembering his body in Huddersfield.

David Mitchell began a homosexual relationship with Robert Hind - a convicted paedophile who used to live in Hebden Bridge - at a bail hostel in Dewsbury where they were both on licence from prison.

The attack happened after Mitchell, 47, had moved out of the hostel to a property in Huddersfield. He invited Hind - also known as Robert Dack - out for a drink before strangling him to death on December 11, 2013.

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He then went out and bought a hacksaw and a roll of bin bags before dismembering his body in the shower at his home in Cowlersley. Mitchell then dumped Hind’s head, torso and limbs in an around a canal near to his home.

Robert HindRobert Hind
Robert Hind

After being arrested Mitchell told police he had reacted in temper when Hind, 46, told him he was HIV positive after they had had sex.

Graham Reed, prosecuting, disputed Mitchell’s account, saying he’d have known about Hind’s condition for a considerable period of time.

A victim impact statement from Hind’s sister, Angela Fletcher, was read out a Leeds Crown Court on Wednesday. In it she said her family learnt of her brother’s death after seeing it on television.

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“We felt pain so hard we thought our hearts would break,” she said.

Police went to Mitchell’s property after Hind had failed to return to the hostel in Albion Street. Officers noted that Mitchell’s home had been extensively cleaned but found a spot of blood on the bathroom wall. Mitchell was arrested and told police where the body parts could be recovered.

Mr Justice Globe ordered that the double killer, who was not present in court, serve a whole life sentence.

He said: “In my judgement the facts leave me in no doubt that the seriousness of the defendant’s offending is exceptionally high and the requirements of just punishment and retribution make a whole life order the just penalty.”