Kingswinford man charged with murdering his father
A man from Kingswinford has appeared in court charged with murdering his father at his home in Bournemouth.
Nathan Robinson, 26, of Larch Road, is accused of killing William Spiller whose body was found on Monday.
Robinson, arrested in Pensnett on Tuesday, was at Bournemouth Magistrates' Court yesterday and remanded in custody.
Mr Spiller, who was in his 40s, was known locally as Birmingham Bill and is believed to be originally from the West Midlands. He was found dead at the first floor flat in Southbourne on Monday afternoon.
But police believe his body could have lain undiscovered for several weeks.
Residents in Larch Road have spoken of their shock after hearing of Robinson's arrest in Pensnett on Tuesday.
They said police had visited his home on Tuesday afternoon and spoke to residents. Neighbours today said the 26-year had grown up in a two-bed semi-detached house in Larch Road, Kingswinford with his mother.
They said the pair had lived at the address for more than 25 years.
He attended the former Penzer Street School in Kingswinford. They said they remembered seeing Mr Spiller when the pair first moved in, but had not seen him for more than 20 years.
One woman, aged 61, said: "The police came round on Tuesday and everyone round here is talking about.
"I think many people are shocked by what they have heard – Nathan was someone we all saw grow up on the estate." She added: "The police just told us it was connected to a crime. I couldn't believe it."
DCI John Gately, of Dorset Police's major crime investigation team, said: "The exact circumstances of the man's death are being investigated by Dorset Police and Her Majesty's Coroner, although I believe the victim may have died several weeks before he was discovered."
