Gabriel Brown Receives Life Sentence for Step-Mother's Ex-Partner Murder
Gabriel Brown, aged 32, has been handed a life sentence for the murder of Joseph Ernest Johnston, the former partner of his step-mother. The court mandated a minimum term of 28 years before Brown can be considered for parole. Brown pleaded guilty to murder at an earlier hearing.
The incident occurred on 15 September 2023, when Brown attacked Johnston at his home in Gateshead. Following the murder, Brown consumed one of Johnston's fingers and parts of his brain. Newcastle Crown Court heard that Brown had been living with Johnston prior to the killing.
During police questioning, Brown asserted he was possessed by the 19th-century occultist Aleister Crowley. However, psychological assessments concluded that Brown did not suffer from a mental disorder at the time of the offence. Prosecutor Louise Perks detailed that Johnston's body was discovered two days after the attack, following reports from concerned neighbours regarding a strong odour.
Ms Perks informed the court that Brown had initially been arrested on suspicion of assault prior to the murder but was released without charge. The sentencing judge, His Honour Judge Penny, described the murder as an act of "brutal and sustained violence" which had a "devastating impact" on the victim's family.
