CAMPER van killer Denis Mulder was jailed for life today after admitting shooting a businessman through the head.

Mulder, 51, blasted Tony Robinson at close range after meeting him to discuss buying his van.

The murder took place the day after Mulder had put a

couple through a terrifying kidnap ordeal, again after claiming he wanted to buy their van.

Mr Robinson, 61, who ran the Spectrum Copy Shop in Bedford Square, Brighton, had advertised his VW camper van in newspapers and magazines.

He agreed to take Mulder on a test drive on October 17 last year but was shot dead when he stopped on the A27.

Mulder then drove the van back to Second Avenue, Hove, where he dumped it with Mr Robinson's body inside.

The body was not discovered until the following day, when neighbours heard Mr Robinson's whippet Bonzo whimpering by the van.

Police were called to the scene and launched a murder inquiry.

The day before the murder, Mulder had met John and Sheila Barnes, of Peacehaven, to test drive their Citroen camper van.

Mulder had approached the Barnes in the car park of Asda, at Brighton Marina to ask if they wanted to sell their van.

He later telephoned the

couple to say he would buy the vehicle for £9,000 and arranged to meet them in the car park to go for a test drive.

But during the drive he became violent and at one point pointed a gun at the back of

59-year-old Mrs Barnes' head.

Mulder ordered the terrified

couple to drive along the A23 towards London.

He then told them to stop at Gatwick Airport, where they came to a halt in a car park.

Mulder said: "I'm getting out" and fled the van.

Nick Price, QC, defending at Lewes Crown Court today, said there was no motive for either the

murder or kidnap.

South African-born Mulder had run a swimming pool business in his homeland.

The divorcee had also run a boat chartering business in the Caribbean, but in 1994 he had a stroke and had to give up his work.

The stroke damaged the left side, and he had to spend years learning how to speak again.

Mulder, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to murder, two charges of kidnapping and possession of a Rossi .38 snub-nosed revolver with intent to endanger life.

Jailing him for life, Judge Richard Brown said: "You shot Anthony Robinson at relatively close range, in a weak and callous act.

"You put the Barnes through a terrible ordeal. They displayed ice-cool composure which may have saved their lives."

After the verdict, Det Chief Insp Steve Scott said: "The Barnes are still suffering from what took place. They showed great courage and bravery."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.