Both men were paying their respects at a funeral when Peter Charles John was killed

John Nicholles, 53, of no fixed abode, was today sentenced at the Old Bailey after being convicted of the manslaughter of Peter Charles John on Monday (April 20). 

Mr John, 54, of Acton Park, had been to a funeral service for his step father-in-law with his wife and daughter on July 23 at the City of London Crematorium in North Boundary Road near Aldersbrook. 

At about 2.30pm, a cemetery worker came across Mr John's body slumped near a gravestone.

Emergency services attended and the 54-year-old was rushed to hospital by London's Air Ambulance but doctors could not save him. 

A post-mortem revealed he died of stab wounds. 

A murder investigation was launched by the Homicide and Major Crime Command and DNA evidence was found on a silver chain, a black crucifix and a pair of sunglasses at the crime scene. 

Nicholles DNA was found on the sunglasses and he was arrested two days later at an address in Stockwell.

He was then linked to a green Ford Mondeo which had been seen at the cemetery on July 23. 

Inside the car officers found an order of service for the funeral and a blood stain that proved a match to Mr John's DNA.

Clothes and shoes with blood stains from both Nicholles and Mr John were found at an address in Lambeth. 

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Jones, who led the investigation, said: "Nicholles killed Peter in the middle of the day in a busy cemetery where they had both gone to pay their respects at a funeral.

"Throughout his interview he refused to comment or show any remorse. We are still not clear on why he took Peter's life.

"Peter was a loving husband and father. I hope that the conviction today goes some small way to helping his family come to terms with their loss."

Forensics scour the scene for evidence at the City of London Cemetery in July last year