Hog-tied, tortured and burned alive: Gang members jailed for murdering jewellery designer, 59, after trying to get key to safe they thought contained £40,000 diamonds

Three gang members who tortured a jewellery designer in an attempt to gain access to his safe before setting him on fire and leaving him to die inside his burning home have been jailed for a total of 90 years. Harvey Mumford, Zac Cowdrey and Simon Penton went to 'extraordinary lengths' to target Michael Griffiths, 59, tracking him down on the internet before conducting reconnaissance on his house in Fernhurst, Surrey. They first attempted to con their way into his property by pretending to be police officers wearing hi-vis jackets and after that failed they broke into his home while he was out and lay in wait for him to return.

When Mr Griffiths, who was described as a 'wonderful, fun-loving person', arrived he was stunned and 'hog-tied' with his hands and ankles bound together before being brutally tortured in the hope he'd give up the key to his safe, thought to contain diamonds worth £40,000. The gang then poured petrol onto him and onto the surrounding ground and set him on fire before callously leaving him to burn to death. Cowdrey, 24, and Mumford, 23, both of Staines, Surrey, were found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 32 years. Penton, 27, of Sunbury, Surrey, was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 26 years in Prison. After passing sentence, Judge Michael Lawson said: 'There was a complete plan to cause some harm to Mr Griffiths. This plan was exceeded by Cowdrey and Mumford. 'Mr Griffiths was overpowered to get to the valuable property you thought was in his safe.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2594561/Gang-members-tortured-jewellery-designer-gain-access-safe-leaving-die-burning-home-jailed-total-90-years.html