Men jailed for life over fatal revenge beating

George Thomas Snr told his family his life savings were missing along with the safe from his home in Redcar, Teesside. Victim John Newton, 45, was threatened before a gang burst into his home, kidnapped him and dished out a five-hour long beating which he did not survive.

The pensioner’s son, George Thomas Jnr, 52, his grandson Stephen Thomas, 30, and “recruited thug” Andrew Jackson, 25, were convicted of kidnap and murder at Teesside Crown Court.

The jury cleared frail Mr Thomas Snr of kidnap and murder after one week’s deliberation.

A fifth man, Lee Woodier, 25, will face a retrial after the jury could not reach a verdict on the murder charge, but he was convicted of kidnap.

The court heard the Thomases suspected Mr Newton, who was diabetic and an alcoholic, of stealing up to £35,000 from the grandfather, his long-term friend.

The gang ransacked his home, looking for clues and making chilling threats that he should tell them where the money was stashed.

They then bundled him into Thomas Jnr’s van, took him down a deserted track outside Middlesbrough and dished out a punishment beating in which he sustained 60 external injuries.

The gang took pictures on a mobile phone before the kidnap, which showed George Thomas Jnr and Jackson in balaclavas. In one image, Jackson was holding a machete.

Mr Newton died two days later in hospital.

Police believed he was innocent of the theft and did not know where Mr Thomas Snr’s savings were hidden.

George Thomas Jnr, of Charlbury Road, Stephen Thomas, of Penhill Close, and Jackson, of Cornforth Avenue, all Middlesbrough, denied the charges.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox, said George Thomas Jnr’s rage was behind the plot.

He said: “At this stage it is not possible to determine which of you did exactly what to that poor man you killed.

“It was your rage which recruited your son and it was you who led the posse to John Newton’s home that afternoon after you were all fired up with drink, at least.

“It is plain from photos taken over a substantial period of that time that you were relishing what you were about.”

He said each of the men had known Mr Newton was an “easy target” because of his alcoholism and ill health.

The men were sentenced to life in prison, with five years to run concurrent for the kidnap. Each must serve at least 20 years in jail before being considered for parole.