A killer who bludgeoned to death an elderly good samaritan in a frenzied hammer attack was quickly trapped thanks to police who remembered the type of trainers that he wore.
Frail Albert Fielding, 89, was know to offer cups of tea and biscuits to people who called at his home in Lancashire.
But jobless Stuart Young, 23, repaid the pensioner's kindness with viscious murder that shocked even hardened detectives.
The results of a post mortem showed the pensioner died from a series of hammer blows that were rained down on his head.
A judge caged Young for life after he pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court to murdering the pension in his flat at in Limefield Court, Blackburn, on 22nd of October last year.
Young, 23, of no fixed address fore Preston Crown Court was given a life sentence and will serve a minimum of 28 years before he is eligible for parole.
Detective Superintendent Neil Hunter said: "Albert was so kind that he would regularly provide visitors to his home with warmth, shelter and money and this is what makes the attack even more senseless and completely unnecessary.
"It was was a vicious, brutal and unprovoked attack which was even more despicable due to Albert’s vulnerability due to his age and the fact that he was always willing to help anyone.
"This was a murder with intent to gain driven by greed involving gratuitous violence which is unforgiveable.
“Stuart Carl Young is a dangerous and violent individual and the community will be a far safer place as a result of his incarceration.
"Young’s actions were cowardly and evil and I am happy that the sentence reflects the appalling nature of this attack and the level of violence used by
“The value of neighbourhood policing and footwear analysis played a major part in detecting this murder.
"A foot impression found at the scene was identified as a Lonsdale training shoe. The neighbourhood policing team at Preston had spoken to Young shortly before the murder and noted he was wearing a similar pair of shoes.
"When he was arrested his shoes were seized and they matched the impression at the scene.”
Albert’s daughter Dot said: "The last six months have been extremely difficult following the devastating news of Albert’s murder.
"The support of our loved ones and the kindness of others at this time have been greatly appreciated.
“Albert was a loving father, grandfather and great grandfather and he will always be missed.
“We are pleased with the sentence that has been handed out by the judge today and we are content, as a family, that Stuart Young will be in prison for a very long time, we would not want any other family to go through what we have had tto suffer.
“Albert would have quite happily given Stuart Young money if he had asked for it, because that was the sort of person that he was but we feel that his murder was fuelled by greed, the injuries he suffered were catastrophic and he did not deserve to die in such a way.
“As a family we now have some sort of closure. Justice has been done, however, we appreciate that it is all just beginning for Stuart Young’s family as he faces this sentence, which is a fact not lost on us.”
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