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| Llywelyn Thomas murder case: Two accused found guilty | Llywelyn Thomas murder case: Two accused found guilty |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Two men who denied beating to death a pensioner during a burglary in his Cambridgeshire home have been convicted of murder and robbery. | Two men who denied beating to death a pensioner during a burglary in his Cambridgeshire home have been convicted of murder and robbery. |
| Gary Smith, 21, and his nephew Frankie Parker, 26, were found guilty of killing Llywelyn Thomas, 76, on 17 December 2011 in Chittering. | Gary Smith, 21, and his nephew Frankie Parker, 26, were found guilty of killing Llywelyn Thomas, 76, on 17 December 2011 in Chittering. |
| Each defendant blamed the other at the Cambridge Crown Court trial. | Each defendant blamed the other at the Cambridge Crown Court trial. |
| Smith, of the Fen Road travellers' site, Chesterton, and Parker, of Nene Road, Ely, will be sentenced on Friday. | Smith, of the Fen Road travellers' site, Chesterton, and Parker, of Nene Road, Ely, will be sentenced on Friday. |
| Parker had admitted a charge of robbery, which Smith had denied. | Parker had admitted a charge of robbery, which Smith had denied. |
| Smith told the court he had tried to stop Parker killing Mr Thomas. | Smith told the court he had tried to stop Parker killing Mr Thomas. |
| Parker said he was searching another room for valuables when Smith started attacking the retired farmer, who was originally from Cefn Cribwr, near Bridgend, south Wales. | |
| A Rover car, which could not go above 20mph, was stolen along with three watches, cash and ornamental eggs during the raid. | A Rover car, which could not go above 20mph, was stolen along with three watches, cash and ornamental eggs during the raid. |
| Neighbours in Ely Road, where Mr Thomas lived, raised the alert the next day when they became concerned his house lights had been left on all night. | Neighbours in Ely Road, where Mr Thomas lived, raised the alert the next day when they became concerned his house lights had been left on all night. |
| The jury heard nearly four weeks of evidence. | The jury heard nearly four weeks of evidence. |
| Left for dead | Left for dead |
| Prosecutor Karim Khalil told the court the pair had raided Mr Thomas's home carrying a crowbar. | Prosecutor Karim Khalil told the court the pair had raided Mr Thomas's home carrying a crowbar. |
| "They knocked on the front door, forced their way in and restrained Mr Thomas," he said. | "They knocked on the front door, forced their way in and restrained Mr Thomas," he said. |
| "Afterwards, instead of leaving Mr Thomas unhurt, perhaps even bound upstairs, they set about a savage beating - he did not stand a chance. | "Afterwards, instead of leaving Mr Thomas unhurt, perhaps even bound upstairs, they set about a savage beating - he did not stand a chance. |
| "The assault was mainly to his head, face and upper back. | "The assault was mainly to his head, face and upper back. |
| "There were signs of stamping, blood on the floor and doorways and no defence injuries. So it seems that Mr Thomas was unable even to try to defend himself. | "There were signs of stamping, blood on the floor and doorways and no defence injuries. So it seems that Mr Thomas was unable even to try to defend himself. |
| "He was left for dead on the upstairs landing." | "He was left for dead on the upstairs landing." |
| Father-of-one Mr Thomas had lived alone since the death of his wife about 10 years earlier. | Father-of-one Mr Thomas had lived alone since the death of his wife about 10 years earlier. |
| Previous conviction | Previous conviction |
| Det Chief Insp George Barr said after the trial: "Smith and Parker are both career criminals who had committed countless burglaries. | Det Chief Insp George Barr said after the trial: "Smith and Parker are both career criminals who had committed countless burglaries. |
| "They must have seen Llywelyn Thomas as an easy target but the level of violence used against him was completely unjustified. | "They must have seen Llywelyn Thomas as an easy target but the level of violence used against him was completely unjustified. |
| "He would have posed little threat to them, but they subjected him to a brutal and sustained beating." | "He would have posed little threat to them, but they subjected him to a brutal and sustained beating." |
| It emerged during the trial Smith carried out a similar attack on a pensioner in her home in Kilham, East Yorkshire, on 9 February last year, just two months after the Chittering murder. | It emerged during the trial Smith carried out a similar attack on a pensioner in her home in Kilham, East Yorkshire, on 9 February last year, just two months after the Chittering murder. |
| He battered a 73-year-old woman with her own walking stick before stealing her car. | He battered a 73-year-old woman with her own walking stick before stealing her car. |
| He was jailed for five years for burglary and aggravated vehicle-taking at Hull Crown Court in June. | He was jailed for five years for burglary and aggravated vehicle-taking at Hull Crown Court in June. |
| Smith's father, John Smith, 67, of Wold Gate, Bridlington, East Yorkshire, previously admitted assisting an offender by providing a false alibi. | Smith's father, John Smith, 67, of Wold Gate, Bridlington, East Yorkshire, previously admitted assisting an offender by providing a false alibi. |
| He will also be sentenced on Friday. | He will also be sentenced on Friday. |