A CALLOUS murderer laughed out loud as he was jailed for life for bludgeoning a Scots dad to death with a heavy lump of wood.
George Ness was “completely out of control” when he inflicted skull fractures and unsurvivable brain injuries on John Smyth, 63, who was born in Glasgow, then stamped on his body as he lay bleeding and unconscious.
John Smyth, 63, was bludgeoned to death by the evil brute[/caption]
Callous killer George Ness laughed as he was sentenced to life behind bars[/caption]
The killer rifled through the dying man’s pockets and stole his phone after three minutes of deadly violence.
Ness, 41, of North Shields, North Tyneside, denied murder but was found guilty by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.
This morning, as he was sentenced to life behind bars and told he must serve a minimum 22 years for the killing, Ness laughed loudly while Judge Paul Sloan KC was talking.
Judge Sloan said Mr Smyth had managed to block some of the blows with his arm but he was hit between five and eight times to the head.
The judge told him: “This was a particularly brutal attack involving sustained and extensive violence, blow upon blow upon blow upon blow delivered to the deceased, particularly to his head, which you specifically targeted and delivered even after he had gone to the ground.”
The court heard Mr Smyth, who had just moved to North Shields from Derby, had been at the home of a female neighbour, who Ness had earlier bought crack cocaine from.
The deadly violence happened when Ness turned up wanting more drugs, which he did not have the money to pay for and had warned her, “I’m coming in”, while in a drink and drug-fuelled rage.
The court heard Mr Smyth picked up, but did not use, a craft knife and screw driver to confront Ness outside but was met with deadly violence.
Ness had claimed he was acting in self-defence.
But Judge Sloan said: “The deceased was trying to prevent an attack by you on his neighbour’s property.
“It is he who was acting in self-defence of his neighbour and her property.”
The court heard Mr Smyth’s death has left his family devastated and traumatised.
His daughter, a student, said in an impact statement she struggles to believe he is gone or understand why and added: “Things will never be the same now my dad has gone.”
His son said the loss is “overwhelming and all-consuming” and added: “I feel sick to my stomach his life ended in this way.”
Judge Sloan added: “No sentence I am permitted by law to impose could even begin to ease their suffering and pain, suffering and pain which will remain with them always.”
