JAILED: Sadistic killer gets 18 years minimum after victim suffered 85 SEPARATE injuries

Drunken Daniel Jones attacked Paul Tompkins – a vulnerable former mental patient – with fists, feet and weapons.

The 34-year-old used a knife, scissors, table fork, stereo system and pieces of a table, that shattered during the onslaught, to inflict wounds to the head, face and chest of the 59-year-old, who was murdered in his own home, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Judge James Burbidge QC told Jones: "This was a prolonged attack of exceptional brutality causing pain and suffering. You left him with many injuries that caused his death.

"It was also bewildering and incomprehensible.

"You were drinking together and after some hours something caused you to turn against him.

"What that spark was we will never know because he is dead and you now say you cannot recall the cause."

One stab wound sank 20cm into the stomach of Mr Tompkins, who lived alone in a ground floor flat in Forge Road, Wollaston, Stourbridge, and every rib bar one down the left side of his body was fractured.

The victim's neck showed signs of an attempt to throttle him with a length of cable, while defence injuries to his arms showed how he struggled to fend off a barrage of blows when Jones turned violent after the two men drank together on New Years Day.

A couple in the flat above the home of Mr Tompkins heard Jones shout: 'Where is it? If you don't give it to me I will kill you'. There was also the sound of crashing and banging.

Before Jones left the victim dead or dying he reached across the body to unplug and steal a new flat screen TV. He told two people he met what had happened and got a third friend to give him jeans and a T-shirt into which he changed.

Jones sold the TV for £30 but was arrested the same day following a call to police from a man to whom the murderer had confessed.

Judge Burbidge commented: "This was cold and hard calculated behaviour while Mr Tompkins lay in his home dying or dead. It was as callous an act as there might be. He was dying and you took what appears to be the only valuable possession he had and stepped over his body to unplug the television before carrying it off."

Jones, who lived near the victim in Forge Road and had popped round for a drink after leaving his partner following a row, admitted murder and was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum period of 18 years before he can be considered for parole.

Angela and Peggy, two of the sisters of Mr Tompkins said after the case: "Paul was a gentle and generous man who was considered fondly by those who knew him, as was clearly expressed by the many kind comments after his death. These and the attendance at Paul's funeral have been a comfort to his family.

"We would like to thank those in social services for the help they gave Paul in his daily life and we are grateful for the excellent support he received from Home Matters.

"We are also glad that the thorough investigation by the police into Paul's brutal murder has resulted in Jones being convicted."

Detective Chief Inspector Martin Slevin, the senior investigating officer, said: " Paul Tompkins had offered the hand of friendship to Daniel Jones after meeting him in the street after Jones had stormed out of his house following a family argument on New Year's day.

"After the pair had spent the afternoon drinking together in Mr Tompkins flat, Jones launched a prolonged and horrific attack. The post mortem examination revealed over 80 injuries to Mr Tompkins body. The motive for the attack is not known but Jones stole property from Mr Tompkins after the assault which he sold to buy more alcohol.

"Daniel Jones refused to admit the offence and only pleaded guilty at the last moment when faced with the full weight of evidence collected and offered by the police investigation. The severity of the attack is reflected in the sentence handed down by the court."