Bedminster is a much safer place to live now the killers from the Churchley family have been locked up, according to local police and relieved residents.

The extended family's shady dealings – including kidnap and drug dealing – came to a sickening head when four of them armed with baseball bats and a samurai sword killed Alan Riddock outside the Park House pub, as horrified neighbours on St John's Lane watched.

Last week, Diane Churchley, her two sons John and Liam, and their cousins Craig and Jason, were all found guilty of killing Mr Riddock, and locked up for a total of 80 years and six months. His fatal error – to dare to disrespect Diane by "mooning" her.

The Churchley home at number 211 is now boarded up and the Park House, which stands opposite, is closed.

But as the community settles down to life without the family, there is a sense that the fear felt in the streets is beginning to evaporate.

Beat manager for the Windmill Hill patch, Sergeant Nigel Colston, told the Post he felt the streets had become safer. And having seen the vital evidence given by witnesses in court, he believes the reluctance to report crime is also fading.

He said: "We cannot emphasise enough how important a role local people have played in securing the convictions.

"It's the courage of these local people in giving us statements that's helped us identify who the offenders were, identify where they were and then give us the evidence to say they were the people responsible, in court.

"You can understand why people would have been concerned about coming forward, but credit to them.

"With any incident like this, it does make people stop and think about their own safety and the area they live in.

"It does send a message out that if people do come forward, there are measures we can take to protect them."

More than 50 officers investigated the brutal death, which happened on May 24 last year, and more than 900 statements were taken.

Mr Riddock had bared his backside to Diane Churchley, 50, as she argued with the former Park House landlord. The gesture cost him his life.

Within minutes she had enlisted the help of weapon-wielding family members to mete out punishment.

When Adam Yates, 21, first came to visit his friends on nearby Raymend Walk on that deadly day, he was confronted by a murder scene.

The house he has lived in with his three friends since January is located immediately behind the former Churchley home.

He said: "I was coming down to visit on the same night that it all happened and the area was cordoned off, there were police everywhere.

"I never actually lived next door to them but my housemates said Liam Churchley used to jump over the wall to our garden when police came looking for him.

"But I do feel safe living round here; I think there's a sense of relief it's all over."

Derek Gaves, 75, who lives a few doors down from number 211, said: "They were no good and it's now good news that they're inside where they belong."

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said: "I think it is safer and people round here feel it's a better place to live."

The Churchleys were well known to the police and to people living in the neighbourhood. Their list of crimes before they resorted to murder emphasises the negative effect they had.

When he was convicted of his involvement in the Riddock murder, John Churchley, 23, was already serving a nine-year prison sentence for kidnap. He even told the jury at Bristol Crown Court that he was cutting up £7,000 worth of drugs at his cousin Jason's flat in Bedminster when his mother Diane rang them to come and sort out the trouble outside the Park House.

The orchestrator, Diane, was no stranger to narcotics either. Heroin addict Tina Thatcher gave evidence admitting she sold drugs on her behalf and would be given a "fix" as a reward.

Liam Churchley, 20, who lived with his mum at 211 and was convicted of manslaughter for using a baseball bat to get involved in the attack, had burgled the Park House pub in the past.

Ward councillor for Windmill Hill, Mark Bailey (Liberal Democrat), hopes the spotlight will now move away from what he believes is essentially a good area, so that life can get back to normal.

He said: "It was a terrible incident. I'm glad there were people brave enough to come forward. It was one bad family in what is generally a good area."

Sgt Colston expressed his sympathy for the main victims – Mr Riddock and family.

"While we've got the convictions – and we are pleased with them – we should not ignore the fact the pain continues for the victim's family for the rest of their lives," he added.