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| Life term for murder of veteran | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A 21-year-old man who conned his way into an elderly veteran's Tyneside home and beat him to death for £40 has been jailed for life. | |
| Harry Lindley, 89, was discovered in a pool of blood at his bungalow in Wallsend in April last year. | Harry Lindley, 89, was discovered in a pool of blood at his bungalow in Wallsend in April last year. |
| The former Army captain suffered at least 15 wounds to his head and face and died 26 days after the attack. | The former Army captain suffered at least 15 wounds to his head and face and died 26 days after the attack. |
| Michael Stevenson, who was high on crack cocaine at the time, was ordered to serve a minimum term of 20 years. | |
| Stevenson, who had denied murder, told Newcastle Crown Court he found Mr Lindley on the floor bleeding profusely from his head when he entered his house. | |
| The drug addict said he did not call for help because he thought someone else had already done so. | |
| Harry Lindley died 26 days after the "brutal" attack | Harry Lindley died 26 days after the "brutal" attack |
| The court heard that Stevenson used his victim's telephone to call his drug dealer and a taxi to take him away from the house. | |
| Mr Lindley's carer, Veronica Sanderson, found the veteran the following morning. | |
| He had suffered injuries to 15 parts of his body, including severe bruising to both sides of his skull and damage to his larynx. | He had suffered injuries to 15 parts of his body, including severe bruising to both sides of his skull and damage to his larynx. |
| Prosecutor Simon Bourne-Arton QC told the trial the forensic evidence showed it was Stevenson who had beaten the pensioner. | Prosecutor Simon Bourne-Arton QC told the trial the forensic evidence showed it was Stevenson who had beaten the pensioner. |
| "The attacker, who having gained entry into his home, subjected him to what can only properly be described as a brutal attack, before leaving, having stolen Mr Lindley's purse and cash." | "The attacker, who having gained entry into his home, subjected him to what can only properly be described as a brutal attack, before leaving, having stolen Mr Lindley's purse and cash." |
| On Wednesday the jury took less than an hour to convict Stevenson, of Westbury Avenue, Walker, of murder. | |