The killer pawned his victim’s wedding ring just hours after torturing him to death (Picture: SWNS/ Cavendish Press)
A callous ‘career criminal’ has been jailed after he tortured and murdered an elderly widower.
John Swannack, 59, was even caught on camera trying to pawn his victim’s gold wedding ring.
He had killed pensioner Bill Howard in a frenzied attack in Lancashire on August 24.
Swannack poured white spirit over the pensioner then repeatedly stabbed him.
The alarm was only raised four days later after Bill, 79, failed to meet his brother for a pint at his local pub.
At Preston Crown Court, Swannack admitted murder, theft and fraud and was ordered to serve a minimum of 30 years.
He initially claimed he had found Bill’s card on the street.
Bill Howard, 79, was seen on CCTV relaxing on a wall before his brutal murder the same day (Credits: PA)
Swannack pawned Bill’s wedding ring just days after he tortured him to death (Picture: Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)
The murderer also bought vodka and cider with Bill’s bank card (Picture: Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)
But police inquiries had found that Bill was last seen alive on August 24 – the same day CCTV had captured Swannack leaving the pensioner’s property carrying a black bin bag and walking stick.
At 6pm the same day, Swannack was caught on camera buying vodka, cider and food from a supermarket with Bill’s credit card.
Sentencing Judge Robert Altham said the pensioner would have been in ‘excruciating’ pain in his final moments.
He added: ‘It was apparent he had been incapacitated either by restraint or fear and this was plainly a murder for gain. The injuries he suffered were horrific.
‘There was gratuitous violence used to torture Mr Howard, a man who was vulnerable due to his age and infirmity.’
Police theorize that Bill had fought back and refused to give Swannack his PIN number, as he was found with defensive injuries to both his arms and hands.
It emerged that Swannack had been known to befriend other elderly people and steal their card details in the wider era.
On one occasion, he had used the bank card of another pensioner to steal £2,360.
John Swannack was given a life sentence with a minimum of 30 years in prison at Preston Crown Court (Picture: PA)
Bill Howard, pictured here in his younger days, was described as ‘kind and gentle’ by family (Picture: PA)
The court heard that Swannack used the cash to fund his crack cocaine habit.
The 59-year-old had even killed before – he beat his friend to death in 1993 over an argument about payment for a holiday to Corfu.
But he only served five years before he was considered for parole.
Det Ch Insp Allen Davies, of Lancashire Police said: ‘Swannack is a callous and manipulative individual who deliberately targeted elderly and vulnerable people so he could rip them off to fuel his expensive crack cocaine habit.
‘Bill Howard couldn’t have been more different. He was a kind, quiet, unassuming man, who lived a simple life without bothering anybody. I cannot and do not want to imagine what he went through in the final hours of his life at the wicked hands of Swannack.’
Mr Howard’s brother, Jack Howard, paid tribute to the ‘kind and gentle’ man who had just wanted an easy life.
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Bill’s wife had died young and he worked hard to raise his infant son alone.
His son tragically died suddenly as a young adult, leaving Bill alone.
Jack said: ‘We tried to support him as best we could through these tough times.
‘Bill would not hurt a fly and I don’t think he had ever had a fight in his life.
‘Bill has done nothing whatsoever to deserve what happened to him, he was just living a peaceful life and spent his days quietly going about his own business.
Family photo of Bill (left) and Jack Howard from their childhood (Picture: Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)
‘Despite living miles apart, we kept in touch often. We would meet up twice in a week in town.
‘Bill would be waiting for me to sit on a bench. We would shake hands or bump fists and call each other “Amigo” then head down the street to the pub. We would sit together on our own and just talk.
‘We would chat about everything and discuss any worries we had. I never felt alone with my problems as I knew always talk to Bill.
‘We never argued about anything, if I said I didn’t like someone on TV Bill would say he didn’t like it either. Those good times are gone for good now.’
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