A man who was falsely accused of being a paedophile was beaten to death as he was hooked up to a dialysis machine.
Paul Sandford was brutally attacked in his home by Adam Goodridge who dished out such a beating his victim died in hospital five days later following a bleed in his brain.
The 30-year-old thug told Sandford he would kill him if he did not move away from the area during the attack.
Goodridge, even took a photograph of Sandford’s injuries after the vicious assault, which was later used against him in court.
The court heard Goodridge told Mr Sandford’s friends to tell paramedics that he had fallen in the bath before leaving his home in Maltby, South Yorkshire, in the early hours of October 30 2020.
Detective Inspector Simon Palmer, Senior Investigating Officer at South Yorkshire Police, said the allegations which led to the attack were “unfounded”.
He said: “I am pleased with today’s sentence, and that Goodridge will be incarcerated for a very long time for the brutal attack he carried out on Mr Sandford.
“On sentencing, the Judge made a comment regarding Goodridge’s motive relating to his mistaken belief regarding Mr Sandford’s character, however I’d like to reiterate that allegations made in relation to this were unfounded.
“Mr Sandford was a well-liked man and due to illness he was incredibly vulnerable. Goodridge took advantage of that, and robbed his friends and family of the time they had left with him.
“I hope that today’s sentence can go some way towards helping them find closure and start to rebuild their lives.”
Goodridge was jailed for 12 years at Sheffield Crown Court today after being found guilty of manslaughter.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
