A man who stabbed to death two of his friends in Basingstoke has today been jailed for 34 years

Stanley Elliott, 53, of Kiln Road in Sherborne St John, was convicted of murdering married couple Geoffrey and Michelle Hibbert at their home in the town.

He had denied two counts of murder but was convicted following a four-week trial at Winchester Crown Court on Friday 4 March.

Jurors heard that officers were called to the Hibberts’ home in Buckland Avenue at 1.59am on Sunday 20 June 2021.

The bodies of Geoffrey, 61, and Michelle, 29, were discovered at the scene. A post-mortem found that the cause of their deaths were multiple stab injuries.

The court was told that the married couple had asked Elliott to look after their young child so they could enjoy a night out in Reading on Saturday 19 June last year.

Elliott then killed the couple after they returned home in the early hours of Sunday 20 June.

Jurors heard that Mrs Hibbert had called 999 and had named her attacker as ‘Stan Elliott’.

Elliott was today given a life sentence for both murders. The minimum term he must serve in prison is 34 years. 

After the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Tina Lowe said: “Our thoughts, first and foremost, are with the families and friends of Geoffrey and Michelle Hibbert.

“This was a senseless and horrific incident which resulted in two people losing their lives and a young child losing his parents.

“I hope Geoffrey and Michelle’s family will be able to feel a small sense of comfort that justice has been delivered and that Stanley Elliott will spend a long time in prison for what he has done.

“Parts of the investigation were particularly harrowing and I would like to commend my staff for handling the case professionally and with the victims at the forefront of their minds throughout.”