A carer has been found guilty of murdering ex-boxer Shaun Cummins.
Thomas Dunkley (29) was today jailed for life for the murder of the 45-year-old former champion.
He will serve a minimum of 34 years.
Dunkley denied murdering Mr Cummins, claiming he died of natural causes.
But he accepted later chopping up Mr Cummins' decomposing corpse with a chainsaw, which he said he did in a panic.
Today a jury at Leicester Crown Court jury found Dunkley, of no fixed address, guilty of murder with an 11-1 majority verdict, following an eight day trial.
Mr Cummins' body was found in 10 pieces in two freezers at his bungalow in Marriott Road, Saffron Lane, Leicester, on September 12.
High court judge, Mrs Justice Dobbs said: "It was a murder for gain.
"There are many aggravating features.
"Cutting up his body was a grotesque act, violating his person and dignity in death and violating the sensitivities of his family.
"The use of his chequebook and cards was disgraceful.
"It's life imprisonment with a minimum term of 34 years."
Dunkley, wearing a striped open neck shirt and grey trousers, sat impassively in the dock as he was sentenced.
When the guilty murder verdict was announced, there were gasps of "yes," from Mr Cummin's family and friends.
Dunkley shook his head in disagreement.
Mr Cummins, who retired from boxing in 1995 was later left paralysed from the waist down following a motorbike crash in 2004.
He needed daily help and Dunkley, his friend, gave up his job to look after him.
Dunckley was also today found guilty of the theft of Mr Cummins' credit card and taking out a payday loan in his name, prior to the death.
He pleaded guilty to preventing a lawful burial and four counts of fraudulently using Mr Cummins' bank accounts and cheques from his trust fund, after the death.
During the trial, the jury was shown CCTV footage of Dunkley visiting stores to buy a chainsaw, a freezer, cleaning materials, goggles, a mask, plastic gloves and shoe covers, on September 6 and 7.
There was also footage of him using Mr Cummins' bank cards to withdraw cash from Oadby Asda, on September 6.
After today's verdict, Superintendent Matt Hewson, the senior investigating officer, said: "This has to be one of the most harrowing murder cases I have dealt with. No murder scene is a pleasant experience but to attend a property and be faced with this particular situation was horrific and disturbing for many involved in the investigation.
"Dunkley is a deceitful, calculated and greedy man. After murdering a man who was not able to fully defend himself, he then slept at his home with his body nearby and returned over a number of days deciding how to dispose of it and cover his tracks. He then insultingly used Shaun's own money, he was awarded following his terrible accident, to casually buy the equipment to dismember him.
"Dunkley had become frustrated as he did not appear to be compensated financially for helping Shaun and had increasing personal debt. He was not paid for his work and believed he would one day receive some payment or profit from a business venture with Shaun. It was known that Shaun was considered by some bitter since his accident and that Dunkley felt manipulated by Shaun but this in no way justified his murder or the disgraceful and disrespectful way his body was treated.
"This was a difficult and complex investigation and I am pleased that the hard work by all those involved contributed to the outcome today but saddened that Dunkley did not see fit to plead guilty and continued to lie throughout this trial.
"Shaun's family and friends have had to endure the unnecessary gruesome details of his death which I am sure it is not a memory they wanted to be left with of him. All I hope is that they now have some comfort that the man who killed Shaun is starting a prison sentence."
