Lithuanian builder who brutally murdered couple as they slept jailed for life
A LITHUANIAN builder who brutally murdered a married couple in their own home during a frenzied act of revenge for the break-up of his marriage has been sentenced to life behind bars.
You were in the house for just six minutes but in that six minutes you snuffed out two peaceful lives and ruined the lives of many others forever
Viktoras Bruzas, 39, repeatedly stabbed Patrick Kettyle, 55, and his wife Gillian, 54 with a kitchen knife as they slept after learning of "flirtations" between his former boss Mr Kettyle and his ex-wife, the Old Bailey heard.
Mrs Kettyle's terrified 16-year-old son, who locked himself in his bedroom at their £750,000 semi-detached property in Fetcham, Surrey overheard them being killed before calling the police.
Bruzas initially denied murder but made the last minute decision to change his plea ahead of today's Old Bailey hearing.
He will serve a minimum of 33 years behind bars for the "significant, violent and sustained" attack in November 27 last year.
Sentencing Judge Robin Spencer said: "You went to the home of the victims for the sole purpose of murdering them.
"For your crime there is only one sentence provided by law, life in prison.
"Your victims were a happily married couple. There was a perfectly innocent and light hearted flirtation between Patrick and your wife. But you thought they were having an affair and you allowed that to fester.
"You believed your marriage had ended because of Patrick. But really it had ended because of your abusive conduct towards your ex wife."
He added: "You were in the house for just six minutes but in that six minutes you snuffed out two peaceful lives and ruined the lives of many others forever.
"Words cannot begin to describe the depth of desolation brought on the family who have lost their loved ones."
A post-mortem showed the couple died as the result of multiple stab wounds.
A knife was found near their home after detectives began a fingertip search of the area.
Alan Kent, prosecuting, said Bruzas had drunk heavily on the night of the murder and had gone to the house to murder Mr Kettyle who he believed was having an affair with his ex-wife.
He said: "He went to The Copse in Fetcham armed with a kitchen knife he had brought with him from home.
"He arrived at the deceased's house, climbed over the fence into the garden and smashed the glass on the patio.
"He entered the house, made his way up stairs and went into the bedroom that Peter and Gillian shared.
"He stabbed them both multiple times all over their bodies. The attack on Patrick was more brutal.
After Bruzas had stabbed the couple he went to Mrs Kettyle's sons door and said: "I have no issue with you boy, or your mother.
"It's Patrick who ruined my life. I want revenge on Patrick. I'm not scared of prison."
Mr Kent continued:"The reason for the brutal and horrific murder was that the defendant blamed Patrick for the breakdown of his own marriage and saw Patrick responsible for ruining his own life.
"Late on Wednesday evening he left his flat armed with a kitchen knife intending to enact his revenge on Patrick.
"It is likely he murdered Gillian because she was trying to protect her husband from the attack on him."
Bruzas was captured on CCTV arriving and leaving the house.
The CCTV has been installed by the Kettyles after Bruzas had threatened Mr Kettyle and fought with him in 2012, saying: "Why are you trying to take my wife away from me."
The killer felt he had found evidence of a mild flirtation between his wife Kristina Bruziene and Mr Kettyle which he saw as proof of an affair.
He also sent threatening emails to Mr Kettyle in October 2013 after the breakdown of his marriage, which had been reported to police.
Bruzas, who moved to Britain in 2000, was offered a job by Mr Kettyle in 2007 after he did some impressive work on his mother's bathroom.
Mr Kettyle also employed Mrs Bruziene, 37, as a secretary at his million-pound building and property development firm.
The court heard Mrs Bruziene confided in her boss who was a "charming man, a ladies man" who made women feel as though "they were the only woman in the world".
She confessed she wanted to leave her husband, but did not have the courage.
Bruzas was identified from blood found in the house from when he had cut himself gaining entry.
Defence lawyer Peter Wilcock said he accepted responsibility for murder and said his belief in his wife's infidelity had driven him to it.
Dressed in a dark suit and blue tie, Bruzas sat impassive as his sentence was passed.
There were tears from the Kettyle family in the public gallery and a victim impact statement paid tribute to a "wonderful couple who loved each other dearly."
A statement said: " On behalf of the family of Patrick and Gillian we would like to thank everyone for the overwhelming amount of kindness and support that has been shown to all of use during this most difficult time.
"Pat and Gilly were a wonderful couple who loved each other dearly.
"They were the most fantastic parents and their children will feel their loss terribly.
"It is true to say that the light in our world has been dimmed with their loss."
