'Help find my brother's killers'

Police found Leonard Farrar lying in his hallway

The brother of a pensioner who died after he was stabbed in his own home has appealed for help to catch the "thugs" who killed him.

Kenneth Farrar was speaking on Tuesday at a news conference about the death of his brother Leonard, 71.

Mr Farrar's body was discovered at his home in Leeds, on Saturday evening by police officers who had come to tell him they had found his stolen car.

He had been repeatedly stabbed and police fear he may also have been tortured.

[The thugs] contribute absolutely nothing to society... they steal and rob and even murder those who do

Kenneth Farrar

Kenneth Farrar, who sat in the press conference with his sister, Christine Willans, said: "On Monday I went to see my brother in the chapel of rest.

"As I looked at him I couldn't help but reflect upon his life.

"As a teenager he went to sea and thousands of miles from home he was in his study trying to achieve his ambition that some day he might be captain of his own ship.

"Contrast that with the thugs who murdered him on Saturday.

"They contribute absolutely nothing to society.

"They themselves do not make any effort. They steal and rob and even murder those who do.

"Let's hope that somebody out there has got the information that they can give the police so the police can have an arrest."

Leonard Farrar was the victim of a 'vicious attack'

Mr Farrar, who was a retired taxi driver and former merchant seaman, was last seen in his back garden at around 2330 GMT on Thursday.

He lived alone in Cardinal Road, Beeston, and was not married.

Police found his burnt out Fiat Panda car nearby the following night.

They believe the theft of the car is linked to Mr Farrar's death.

Detective Superintendent Howard Crowther, who is leading the investigation, appealed for help to trace a number of people seen in the vicinity of Mr Farrar's burning car on Friday night.

The detective said he would give no further details about Mr Farrar's injuries for "operational reasons" and refused to confirm whether the pensioner had been tortured.

Mr Crowther repeated Mr Farrar had been the victim of a "sustained and controlled" attack.

He said the lack of disturbance in the house led him to believe the attackers had exerted some kind of restraint over Mr Farrar while conducting the assault over a period of time.