Man gets life for torture ordeal

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A 66-year-old widower has been jailed for life for attempting to murder a man he believed was a police informer.

James O'Driscoll, of Cardiff, subjected Paul Clarke, 57, to a three-hour torture ordeal at his home.

O'Driscoll, whose wife died of cancer four years ago, denied the charge but was found guilty by a jury.

Sentencing him at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Patrick Curran QC said: "You present a real and continuing danger to the public."

"If the attack had continued it would have ended in an execution," he added.

"You have shown no remorse," he told O'Driscoll.

Co-accused Mohammed Dakare, 18, of Butetown, who was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, was sentenced to five years.

During their trial, which ended on Tuesday, it emerged that the pair were waiting for Mr Clarke at his home in Cathays when he returned from hospital after visiting his partner, Christine Cox, in the early hours of 30 April, 2008.

Mr Clarke had previously accused Ms Cox of stabbing him and had made a statement to police, which he later withdrew.

The jury heard that O'Driscoll hit Mr Clarke with a hammer, scalded him and threatened him with castration.

Blood was smeared on the walls, pools of blood were found around the victim, there were deep wounds to his head and general chaos Martyn Kelly, prosecutor

Mr Clarke had been attacked with scissors and garden shears and the house in Treharris Street was strewn with broken objects which had been smashed on him.

Describing the scene, barrister Martyn Kelly had told the court: "Blood was smeared on the walls, pools of blood were found around the victim, there were deep wounds to his head and general chaos."

He said Mr Clarke's trousers had been pulled down to expose his buttocks and the victim recalled "there was talk of castrating him".

Mr Clarke told the court: "I knew I was going to die - 100%."

He was eventually able to escape by kicking a neighbour's window to attract attention, but his wounds led to an infection that caused him to lose a testicle.

O'Driscoll, previously charged with murdering another man, Phillip Bannan, in November 2006, said he thought Mr Clarke had suffered the injuries by falling down the stairs.

O'Driscoll, who used 20 aliases and three different dates of birth, was found not guilty of killing Mr Bannan because although he was present, there was no evidence he was involved in the death.

His previous convictions included causing grievous bodily harm to an 80-year-old man, for which he was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment in 1985. He was released in 1993.