Brother jailed for helping murderer

Hayley Mace The brother of a businessman convicted of killing his fiancée has been jailed for helping him evade arrest in the hours after her murder. Robert Caunter was sentenced to three years at Ipswich Crown Court today.

Hayley Mace

The brother of a businessman convicted of killing his fiancée has been jailed for helping him evade arrest in the hours after her murder.

Robert Caunter was sentenced to three years behind bars at Ipswich Crown Court today.

Last month his brother Christopher was jailed for life for the murder of 35-year-old Deborah Townsend.

The court heard that Robert Caunter, 39, of Eldred Road, Barking, drove his brother to London in the hours after Ms Townsend's death.

Also before the court was Joseph Brown, 39, of Mild May Road, Romford, who was sentenced to two years in prison for also helping Christopher Caunter.

Parts of Ms Townsend's scalp and clumps of hair were found in a pool of blood by a passer-by on the A146 at Beccles in 2005.

Her partially-clothed body was found the following day in the boot of Christopher Caunter's abandoned Land Rover Discovery in the car park of a fishing lake at Newlands Hall, Roxwell near Chelmsford.

Meanwhile Christopher Caunter, of Hullbridge, Essex, fled to Thailand where he stayed until he was extradited back to the UK in 2007.

The three defendants initially stood trial a year ago but the jury was discharged after failing to reach a verdict.