Man who murdered OAP in row over paint brush jailed for life
A man who murdered his OAP neighbour in a trivial row over a paint brush has been jailed for life.
David Hill, 57, beat to death Kurt Giwisser, 77, because he was unhappy with the condition of a paint brush he had loaned to the pensioner.
Leeds Crown Court heard Hill went to his neighbour's flat in Huddersfield, West Yorks. in February 2023, and began banging on the door - demanding it be opened.
When Mr Giwisser complied, Hill forced his way inside and repeatedly punched and kicked the great-grandfather.
Despite being seriously injured, Mr Giwisser managed to call emergency services and was treated in hospital.
Tragically, his health deteriorated in the weeks that followed and he died in April 2023.
David Hill, 57, must serve a minimum of 17 years in prison for the murder.
In a heartfelt tribute, Mr Giwisser's family remembered him as a "gentle, caring and proud man" who always looked "immaculate" and loved to play guitar.
A statement said: "Since the day he was taken from us, our lives have been filled with grief, fear and emptiness.
"Family gatherings feel incomplete.
"There is an empty space where he should be.
"A silence where his laughter and music should fill the room.
"Even moments of happiness feel overshadowed by the fact he is not here to share them with us.
"What happened didn't only end his life, it shattered ours.
"The trauma of having to decide to end life support, the cruelty of the violence he suffered, and the lifelong grief we must now live with, has changed us forever.
"There's no going back to the people we were before."
Detective Inspector Suzanne Hall, who led the investigation, said: "Kurt Giwisser was fit, healthy, and very much enjoying life until all that was taken away in a brutal attack by the violent bully who he was unlucky enough to have as his neighbour.
"It is hard to comprehend how anyone could act so violently towards a man in his late 70s, and especially over what seems to have been a fairly trivial issue."
She added: "The impact of Kurt's loss on his daughters, grandchildren and his friends has been clear to see, and I hope they can take some measure of comfort from seeing him convicted and sentenced by the court today."