Catastrophic injuries inflicted on pensioner 'who was too weak' to fight off his killer detailed in court
A 94-year-old man who died after being beaten senseless by a burglar told police from his hospital bed he 'was too weak' to fight off his killer.
Harry Monk discovered a masked man in his sheltered accommodation flat in Inglewood Court, Bradmore, in the early hours of October 3 last year.
Paul Topham, 45, pounced on the frail pensioner and repeatedly punched him in his face and body before the old man passed out, but not before his screams of pain alerted his next door neighbour. The neighbour confronted Topham before calling the police and locking himself in his flat in fear for his life.
Unable to escape responding police officers, Topham fled to a roof where he was eventually talked down by police officers and arrested.
Topham, of Palmeston Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, is standing trial for murder at Wolverhampton Crown Court. Before the trial began he admitted manslaughter and burglary.
