A drug user who beat a great-grandfather to death after he was disturbed while burgling the 94-year-old’s home has been jailed for at least 33 years.
Paul Topham entered Harold Monk’s flat in Inglewood Avenue in Wolverhampton in the early hours of 3 October and began searching the property.
When Mr Monk woke up and confronted the intruder, who was wearing a balaclava and carrying a rucksack, Topham held him down and repeatedly beat him.
Judge Michael Chambers KC said the “brutal and sustained” attack the victim with 18 fractures to his face, skull, spine and ribs, as well as wounds to his brain and abdomen.
The elderly man died in hospital the following day with his family beside him after telling police what happened.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard Topham told a neighbour who confronted him during the attack and called 999 to “f*** off” as he held Mr Monk down and sat on him during the beating.
Mr Chambers said Mr Monk, who was vulnerable due to his age and health conditions, including cardiac disease and osteoporosis, “died a violent death at a location where he should have felt safe”.
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The judge said the murder was “a particularly despicable crime and falls among the worst sorts of homicides”.
Topham, of Palmerston Road, Birmingham, who was convicted after a trial in July, had admitted burglary and manslaughter, but denied murder.
He showed no emotion in the dock as he was handed a life sentence for murder on Thursday in court, with a concurrent sentence of 54 months for burglary.
Topham visited a relative living in the same sheltered accommodation as Mr Monk the weekend before the attack.
Spotting Mr Monk had left his keys in the door, he stole them, planning to return and steal from him and was under the influence of alcohol and drugs by the time he did.
Judge Chambers said it wasn’t surprising that Topham woke up Mr Monk, “given the size of the flat” and when the “frail old man” challenged him, he attacked.
“You repeatedly and forcibly assaulted him, punching him and sat on him to such an extent you fractured his ribs.”
The judge said he was satisfied Topham, of Palmerston Road, Birmingham, had carried on with the burglary while the elderly man lay dying.
After police were called at 3.04am, Topham did not co-operate and fled to the roof of a conservatory where he took part in a stand-off with officers before he was eventually arrested.
Mr Monk’s daughter, Patricia Monk, said in a victim impact statement her father was a “wonderful human being who was loved dearly by his family”.
She added: “We miss his quirky sense of humour and his huge presence. We miss witnessing the fulfilment he found in everyday life even at 94 years old and he loved to see his grandchildren and great grandchildren grow.”
The judge said: “The family were looking forward to celebrating his 95th birthday – instead he died a violent death at a location where he should have felt safe.”
Gurdeep Garcha KC, defending, said Topham was “not a heartless, evil man” did not intend to kill anyone when he set out to burgle Mr Monk’s home”.
Topham, he said, wanted to “publicly express his regret for what he has done but he understands saying sorry won’t undo the pain and damage he has done.”
“He recognises the blame lies solely with him, he is the author of this whole event.”
