Exclusive:"May they not find anything" - Murder accused's prayer captured on covert recording, jury told
“All the items that’s in there, I hope they miss the items, not search properly and miss everything so I can go back home…can’t stand it oh Lord”
A pensioner alleged to have shot his lodger dead, before dismembering his body and stashing his remains in a concrete-filled barrel, was allegedly recorded “praying” for police to “miss items” on his property as searches were being conducted.
Richard Dyson was 55-years-old when he was last seen in November 2019, when he never appeared for a meet up with his daughter, Bethany.
A missing persons investigation was subsequently launched, and the search for Mr Dyson continued for several years, until July 14, 2025, when human remains were discovered on farmland off Broadcarr Road, Barnsley.
The remains, which had allegedly been severed and were found in a concrete-filled barrel, were confirmed to be those of Mr Dyson. Subsequent examinations revealed Mr Dyson had been fatally shot.
Christopher Wright, now aged 73, of Sheffield Road, Hoyland, Barnsley, was subsequently charged with Mr Dyson’s murder, which he denies. His trial began at Sheffield Crown Court yesterday (Monday, June 15, 2026).
Mr Wright was effectively Mr Dyson’s landlord at the time of his disappearance, prosecutor Peter Moulson KC, told jurors as he opened the Crown’s case.
Mr Moulson also revealed that for several years prior to his death, Mr Dyson had been living and sleeping in one of his three vehicles which were parked at Mr Wright’s home address Parkside Cottage, Sheffield Road in Hoyland, Barnsley.
Moving to the possible motive for Mr Dyson’s murder, Mr Moulson told the jury of seven men and five women it may emerge that Mr Dyson had stolen some firearms from Mr Wright and sold them on.
“It may be that Wright would have been very angry about such thefts, and it may be that Wright’s motive for the murder of Mr Dyson arose out of those thefts,” Mr Moulson said.
Prosecutors claim that following Mr Dyson’s murder, which is alleged to have occurred on the evening of November 17, 2019, Mr Wright sought, and was given, the assistance of his best friend, and co-accused, Karl Schwalbe, who lived a short distance away.
“The pair of them, that is the killer and the man who went to his aid conspired together to mislead the police to try to defeat the police investigation of Mr Dyson into the death and disappearance of all traces of him…We submit they made a pact not to reveal any of these matters, ever,” Mr Moulson said yesterday.
The jury were given transcripts of covert recordings taken by police, the first of which is alleged to have captured a conversation between the two defendants inside a car at Barnsley police station after being interviewed by police in March 2021.
During the alleged conversation, Mr Schwalbe tells Mr Wright “I wish you hadn’t phoned me that night” and admits he thought “f***” when police showed him the CCTV video of his vehicle heading towards Mr Wright’s home on the night of the murder.
In response, Mr Wright is alleged to have apologised to Mr Schwalbe, before telling him: “Wish you didn’t come up.”
The second covert recording is alleged to capture Mr Wright praying in a hotel room he was moved to as police searched his home in the days after Mr Dyson’s remains were discovered in July 2025.
During one of the “prayers,” Mr Wright appears to ask for the police to “miss items” during their search.
The transcript shown to the jury reads: “In the name of the Lord protect me oh Lord. Guide me, allow me to go back to my house and my dog, my freedom. All the items that’s in there, I hope they miss the items, not search properly and miss everything so I can go back home…can’t stand it oh Lord.
“I do not want to be prosecuted further. May they not find anything, hopefully not.”
In a second apparent prayer made the same night, Mr Wright appears to ask the Lord to grant him “absolution” from the situation he finds himself in. He also appears to ask for - a word believed to either be “trial” or “trailer” - to be kept away from him.
He continues: “Keep all my items safe my Lord. Keep police away from my weapons which will make things really bad for me. Oh Lord, keep me safe. keep me free. I only did what I had to survive oh lord, I had to survive. I’ve tried to help people. People who I helped have bit my hand.”
Mr Moulson suggested to jurors that they may eventually conclude that if Mr Dyson did indeed steal firearms from “weapons fanatic” Mr Wright - after living on his land for several years - that he had “bit the hand that fed or helped him, and thereafter was made to pay the ultimate price with his life.”
Charges faced by the defendants
Mr Wright is accused of Mr Dyson’s murder, a charge of preventing a lawful burial, along with a number of weapons offences including possessing prohibited firearms, possessing firearms including a shotgun and ammunition without certificates.
Mr Wright and Mr Schwalbe, of Dike Hill, Harley, Rotherham, are both charged with perverting the course of justice.
The defendants deny the charges.
The trial, which is listed for seven more weeks, continues.