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A former soldier sticks his tongue for a selfie moments after he brutally stabbed a dog walker to death.

Alexander Palmer, 24, attacked pensioner Peter Wrighton from behind and knifed him so severely the first police officer on the scene thought Mr Wrighton had been savaged by a wild animal.

Mr Wrighton's head was almost decapitated such was the ferocity of the knife attack in August last year.

This morning a jury at Nottingham Crown Court took just 44 minutes to find ex-solider Palmer, from Norwich, guilty of murdering Mr Wrighton in a remote woodland in Norfolk.

The body of former BT engineer Mr Wrighton was discovered in an area of heathland in East Harling on Saturday 5 August with his two dogs Gemma and Dylan found close by.

(Image: SWNS- Cambridge) (Image: SWNS.com) (Image: SWNS- Cambridge)

There were no witnesses to the shocking attack but a significant breakthrough in the investigation saw an anonymous caller, responding to media coverage, stating that when receiving mental health treatment Palmer had talked of voices telling him to harm people and in particular dog walkers.

Further analysis of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) data, CCTV footage and mobile phone records revealed Palmer and his vehicle, a black Ford Focus with the registration L666 AHP, were in the area at the time of Peter’s murder.

On Saturday 12 August 2017, just one week after the murder, Palmer was arrested in connection with the incident and taken into police custody for questioning. He was charged with murdering the dad-of-two two days later.

(Image: Diss Express / SWNS.com) (Image: SWNS- Cambridge)

Palmer denied murder but jurors were shown an e-fit, produced after speaking to witnesses, which is an almost identical match to images of Palmer and also reviewed forensic evidence around DNA resulting from cellular matter matching Mr Wrighton, discovered on Palmer’s jacket, which linked him to Peter’s body.

After just 44 minutes of deliberation, a jury of eight women and four men found Palmer guilty of murder. He will be sentenced tomorrow.

(Image: Facebook) (Image: SWNS- Cambridge)

Detective Superintendent Marina Ericson, who was the Senior Investigating Officer in the enquiry, said: "I believe Palmer to be callous and extremely calculated in his approach to Peter’s death.

"It was a premeditated and predatory killing. Palmer took the opportunity of Peter walking alone with no one else around to launch an attack on an elderly, frail man knowing he would be unable to defend himself.

"Officers first on the scene described the incident as an animal attack and I think that description is still accurate. Palmer is a dangerous individual who was truly animalistic in his actions.

"With the murder taking place in a very rural location, the investigation was made more difficult by the lack of direct witnesses to this vicious attack.

(Image: SWNS- Cambridge)

(Image: PA)

"However, members of the public and local residents made over 300 calls to the force within the first days of Peter’s death and I am grateful for the information this provided the enquiry.

"No connection with the victim has ever been established and limited forensic opportunities meant it took the full resources of the constabulary and mutual aid from other forces to locate and bring the right offender to justice.

"While I am pleased the jury have found Palmer guilty, our thoughts remain with Peter’s loving family after such a devastating and incomprehensible loss. I can only hope that Peter’s family and the local community can find some form of closure from the knowledge Palmer will spend a significant amount of time in jail.”

(Image: Google / SWNS.com) (Image: SWNS.com)

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In a statement, Peter's family said: "On the 5 August last year, a beautiful Saturday morning, my dad was viciously attacked and killed whilst walking his dogs.

"He quite simply was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The shock of it has been compounded by the fact he was such a lovely, gentle man who people always warmed to.

(Image: SWNS.com) (Image: SWNS.com)

"The most unlikely person to have something like that happen. We have all been struggling to come to terms with losing him in such a way and our mum, his wife of 59 years, has been left bereft and lonely.

"We are so grateful to the police force for the huge amount of work they did to achieve today’s result, and for the kindness and understanding they have given us. We also again thank the local dog walkers and residents for their co-operation and support."

Palmer left the British army in November 2015 after injuries he suffered in an assault led to mental health problems.