Pensioner's simple mistake of leaving his key in the lock led to him being murdered by drug-addicted burglar
Two worlds collided when 94-year-old Harold Monk left his key dangling out of the door to his flat in sheltered accommodation.
A simple mistake led to the pensioner's murder days later.
Walking past was drug addicted thief Paul Topham, who had been visiting his mother, "did not break stride" as he pulled the key and the fob to gain access to Inglewood Court.
He said: "I thought what every thief would, an opportunity to come back and burgle the place."
In court, Topham claimed he "did not know who lived in the flat but kept the key so I could return."
After languishing in his Birmingham HMO room, in Palmerston Road, Topham spent money his mother had given him on drugs and strong lager, when it ran out he decided to use the stolen key.
Four days later on October 3, last year, Topham's return would culminate in tragedy. High on a cocktail of strong lager, mamba and crack, CCTV showed him stumbling on the last train to Wolverhampton and through the town centre to where he hoped to steal cash for more drugs.
He said: "I waited until around 2am so whoever would be in the flat would be asleep."
