Cheshire pensioner jailed for beating a sleeping man to death with a spade

An 85-year-old man who murdered a sleeping neighbour with a spade has been jailed for a minimum of 17 and a half years.

Thomas Dunn committed the "cowardly" attack on retired army engineer Roy Costello, 60, at their sheltered accommodation in Sandbach, Cheshire, on February 20.

Mr Costello's skull was smashed in the attack and he was rushed to hospital with brain injuries but died two months later.

Chester Crown Court heard that police spoke to Dunn on the evening of February 19 after the Costellos suspected he had vandalised their car

The next morning Dunn waited for the victim's wife to leave the flat to walk the couple's dog before he struck.

Sentencing him on Friday to life imprisonment, Judge Steven Everett, the Honorary Recorder of Chester, told Dunn: "You committed an appalling act of violence in a pre-meditated attack.

"It is clear to me that leading up that terrible attack there had been friction between him and you. I am not here to address the rights and wrongs of that.

He said the couple rightly reported their suspicions that Dunn was responsible for scratching their car with a Z-shape, months after it had been scratched with a large 'X'.

Addressing Dunn, the judge went on: "It is very clear you ruminated on that and let it build up in your mind and made it worse than it really was. You decided you was going to do something terrible."

He said the defendant "probably guessed" the flat was insecure, as he entered with the weapon.

Judge Everett said: "He was asleep. He was totally defenceless and you took advantage of that in this cowardly attack. It was an act of incredible cowardice.

"Did you show any sympathy or compassion at that stage, did you call for an ambulance? Quite the reverse, you walked away showing no remorse as you threw away the spade and cycled to your former home."

The judge said he continued to show "not a jot of remorse" when he was arrested and was "almost defiantly proud" when he confessed.

Dunn told officers he wanted to "belt" Mr Costello and "teach him a lesson", the court heard.

The defendant added he aimed at his head as he "wanted to do as much damage as possible".

Judge Everett noted that Dunn has prostate cancer but that it did not affect his ability to think, and that he also had mental health issues but had not lost the ability to form rational judgment or exercise self-control.

He told the defendant: "It is utterly mystifying to me why an 85-year-old would come to commit this terrible attack. But your behaviour is consistent with being a difficult, rather arrogant, aggressive and mean-spirited person.

"It may be that your illness will take you much sooner than the minimum sentence."

Dunn, of Oakdene Court, pleaded guilty last month to murder.

Owen Edwards KC, prosecuting, said Mr Costello was struck "hard" with the blade of the spade as he slept on his sofa.

He said Dunn told police that Mr Costello was a "bully" and accused him of rattling his letterbox in the evenings.

Mr Costello's sister, Debbie, entered the witness box to read out her victim personal statement.

She said: "The death of my wonderful, amazing brother is like living in a nightmare.

"Roy was a big softie who would do anything for anybody. He didn't tolerate bullying, intimidation or violence and would always stand up against this.

"Ultimately, this cost him his life."

The victim's brother, Daryl, said: "Roy stood up for what was right and didn't like injustice and bullying.

"Our brother lost his life to a cowardly act."

Looking directly at Dunn, he added: "Your family must be embarrassed of you."

Peter Wright KC, defending, said Dunn's family "were at a loss" to explain his conduct.

He said: "What led to this attack? Unresolved antagonism between two men that was punctuated by intemperate conduct by each of them.

"None of this excuses what he did but we submit it does contextualise, to a degree, what happened."

Following sentencing, Mr Costello's wife, Cathy, 67, said: "Roy was a gentle giant who would always help anyone, he was very well loved by all who knew him, because of his caring nature.

"Roy being taken the way he was by a neighbour who can only be described as an evil coward is something I will never get over, I have been left with a big void in my life where Roy used to be and I know life will not be the same."