The grieving sister of a man brutally killed in a Birmingham house of multiple occupation (HMO) has denounced his murderer's prison term as "disgusting" and a "joke".
A Brutal Attack in Erdington
Anthony Sharma, 43, was beaten, stabbed, and strangled to death by his housemate, Diogo Bettencourt, 37, in November 2023. The fatal assault took place at the shared property on Doidge Road in the Erdington area of Birmingham.
After the killing, Bettencourt callously concealed Mr Sharma's body inside a sleeping bag within the HMO. He then proceeded to attempt to use his victim's bank card eight times.
The crime was uncovered when the property's landlady entered Mr Sharma's room and made the grim discovery.
Family's Outrage at 'Inadequate' Sentence
Following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court, Bettencourt was this month handed a minimum sentence of 11 years and 237 days in prison for murder.
Anthony's sister, Anora Sharma, speaking bravely to BirminghamLive, expressed her fury and heartbreak at the length of the term. "I hope he gets justice in jail," she said. "If you take a life, you should have yours taken. He left my brother like that for two or three days. It's terrible. I can't believe the judge gave 11 years. He brutally murdered my brother. It's a joke. Disgusting. He will be out in six."
Ms Sharma described her brother as a kind soul with a "heart of gold" who "would have done anything for anyone." She revealed the family had endured a tough upbringing after their parents died young and that Anthony had learning difficulties, suggesting Bettencourt may have "played on" his vulnerabilities.
Mental Health and Previous Convictions
During the trial, experts stated Bettencourt had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, which they believed severely impacted his actions at the time of the murder.
However, Anora Sharma firmly rejected this as any form of excuse. "We've all got mental health one way or another," she said. "That doesn't mean you can kill someone for the pure fun of it. It doesn't matter. He knew what he was doing."
The court heard that Bettencourt had taken heroin in the run-up to the attack and had previous convictions for drug-trafficking in Canada.
Sentencing, Judge Farrer said the nature and duration of the assault led him to conclude Bettencourt intended to kill. He noted the defendant remained "very unwell" and in need of long-term treatment, adding that psychiatrists believed he would pose a high risk to others if his symptoms worsened.
The murder occurred sometime between 10.30pm on November 8 and 2.30am on November 9, 2023, after Mr Sharma had bought alcohol and given money to Bettencourt, who purchased sweets. Their return to the HMO was the last time Anthony Sharma was seen alive. The attack inflicted more than 60 separate external injuries on the victim.
