Pensioner kicked to death for £25

Faulkner admits murdering his victim, kicking him in the head

A 23-year-old man who admitted kicking a "harmless old man" to death for money has been jailed for life.

Richard Kenneth Faulkner kicked and stamped on Raymond Welch's head during a vicious attack.

He then picked him up and dropped him from a height, causing severe injuries.

The court heard Faulkner thought the 64-year-old retired street cleaner had large amounts of money on him.

But when he rifled through his victim's pockets during the attack in Northampton on 2 November 2002, he found only £25.

Kicked repeatedly

Sentencing Faulkner, who admitted murder, at Leicester Crown Court, Judge Charles Wide QC told him he had committed a "dreadful" crime.

"You punched and stamped at the face of a much older man repeatedly and you did so when he was unable to defend himself," he said.

The court heard the attack happened after Faulkner and Mr Welch had taken a taxi back to the older man's home in the Kings Heath area in Northampton.

Mr Welch, who was described as "something of a character", met Faulkner earlier that evening and bought him drinks.

Prosecuting Nigel Rumfitt QC, said they left the last venue at 0115 GMT and headed for Mr Welch's home in Park Walk.

He feels the deepest guilt about what happened and has been determined to take responsibility for it Anthony Barclay, defence barrister

"But at about 0210 GMT, a neighbour was woken up by the sound of banging outside his flat which he described as like a car door being slammed," he said.

"He looked out of his window and saw what he thought was a robbery taking place."

The neighbour called police - then watched as Faulkner rifled through Mr Welch's pockets, before stamping on his victim's head up to four times.

He then lifted Mr Welch by his lapels, swung him to the right and dropped him from about one metre.

Faulkner was still at the scene when police arrived moments later.

He was arrested and found to have Mr Welch's chequebook, membership cards and travel documents.

Anthony Barclay QC, defending, disputed the robbery claims and said the murder might have been committed for other reasons which may never be known.

His client, who was born in Leicester and had been adopted, told psychiatrists he had "a lot of hate inside him" towards his natural father but it was his instinct to avoid violence.

"He feels the deepest guilt about what happened and has been determined to take responsibility for it," he added.