Adam Saunders jailed for life for brutal murder of Blackpool hotel owner Kevin Price
A brutal killer who murdered a Blackpool hotelier in a frenzied knife attack has been jailed for life.
Drug addict Adam Saunders was ordered to serve a minimum of 32 years.
Saunders left Kevin Price, 59, in a pool of blood after stabbing him 56 times at the Garfield Hotel, Springfield Road, in November 2024.
In early November 2024, on a Thursday evening, Kevin Price was last seen alive on CCTV returning to his home at The Garfield Hotel from a neighbouring property.
Saunders later entered Kevin’s home, brutally killing him.
When Kevin’s friend hadn’t heard from him a few days later on the Sunday, which was unusual, he was reported as missing to the police. Very sadly, police found Kevin’s body in his property. He had suffered extensive injuries, and a murder investigation was launched.
Mr Justice Martin Spencer said Saunders had taken advantage of Mr Price's kind-hearted nature. He said no-one would ever know the full facts, as Saunders continued to deny the offence. But he felt sure that Saunders' motive was "greed".
He said Saunders had murdered Mr Price "in the most brutal way", including 15 knife wounds to his neck.
Mr Justice Spencer said Saunders had led in his prepared defence statement and lied in his evidence to the court.
The judge said Saunders thought Mr Price was a "soft touch" and continued to steal from him.
He told Saunders: “What this demonstrates is two people at each end of the scale of human kindness - Mr Price at the very top and you close to the bottom.”
Saunders was also given concurrent jail sentences for burglary, theft and fraud charges relating to Mr Price's bank cards.
The trial heard that Saunders was the only person seen going in or out of the former hotel where Mr Price lived in the days around his death.
The last date Mr Price was seen alive was November 7 and his body was found on November 10. No murder weapon has ever been found.
Saunders had previously stolen from Mr Price and had gone back to the hotel on November 7 on the pretext of keeping him company.
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The trial heard that after killing Mr Price, Saunders stole his keys, bank cards and other property. One of his victim's bank accounts had £50,000 in it.He returned to the former hotel several times on a "looting spree." Some items, including a TV, were sold to shops in the resort.
A Home Office Post Mortem examination determined that Kevin had been stabbed 56 times, and had significant injuries to his neck, chest and back, along with other stab injuries across his body.
In the days that followed Kevin’s murder, Saunders entered his home, stealing items and fraudulently using his bank card.
Saunders, 51, of no fixed address, had pleaded not guilty at Preston Crown Court to murder, but a jury took less than three hours to find him unanimously guilty.