A man has been jailed for life after admitting to a murder in Heysham.
39-year-old Leigh Smith, of Binyon Court, Lancaster, had originally denied the murder of 49-year-old Keith Thompson, and an earlier assault causing actual bodily harm on another victim, but pleaded guilty to both offences on the seventh day of his trial at Preston Crown Court last week.
Sitting at Preston Crown Court this morning, Mr Justice Bright told Smith he would have to serve a minimum of 22 years and 177 days before he is considered for parole. He was also sentenced to 36 weeks for a separate assault, which will run concurrently.
Officers were called to reports of an assault off Heysham Road, near to the Bay Medical Centre, Heysham in the early hours of Saturday September 28 last year.
Emergency services attended the scene and Mr Thompson was taken to hospital, where he died.
A post mortem examination later established the cause of Mr Thompson’s death was blunt force trauma to the head.
Smith (pictured below) had violently assaulted Mr Thompson by kicking, hitting, and punching him repeatedly.
When the first officer arrived that morning, he found him slumped against the basement wall. He did not appear to be breathing.
The police and ambulance crew continued to try to save Keith, as did the hospital staff, but he was pronounced dead at 5:55am that morning.
Smith was arrested and later charged with murder.
In a victim impact statement, Keith’s mum, Nancy, said: “When I first found out what happened to Keith I didn't want to live anymore, just so I could be with him. As I got older he always said to me that he couldn't live without me, but here I am now having to live without him.
‘’I am devastated and utterly heartbroken. That man has taken away such a loving son.”
Keith’s daughter, Alisha, said: “I just can't stop thinking of my Dad suffering at the hands of that monster who killed him. My future children now won't have a Grandad.
‘’He murdered my Dad with his hands and feet and this will stay with me for the rest of my life. Rest easy Dad, I love you and I miss you.”
DCI John McNamara, of the Force Major Investigation Team said: “My thoughts today are with Keith’s devastated family and friends at this incredibly upsetting time. When Smith attacked Keith on the morning of his death, he did so with prolonged and extreme violence.
“Smith assaulted another victim prior to Keith which was both random and unprovoked. His behaviour continued to escalate culminating in the vicious attack on Keith.
“While no sentence can ever make up for the taking of a life, I do hope Keith’s family can gain some degree of closure and I hope they feel some relief knowing that Smith will be in prison for a considerable length of his life.
‘’He will then have to convince the Parole Board that he poses no risk to the public before he is ever released.”
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