Gainsborough man told to expect life imprisonment for murdering Lincoln pensioner

A man faces life imprisonment after he admitted the murder of a Lincoln pensioner.

Owen Blades had previously denied the murder of 69-year-old John Connolly on June 13 last year and was due to stand trial at Lincoln Crown Court.

But 26-year-old Blades, from Gainsborough, today (January 3) entered a guilty plea to the murder of Mr Connolly before a jury was sworn.

Mr Connolly was found dead inside a house on Portland Street, Lincoln, by police officers who were called shortly after 11:30am on June 18.

Blades, of Tennyson Street, Gainsborough, also pleaded guilty to four other offences which he committed on June 13 last year.

They are a burglary at the address in Portland Street, Lincoln; having an offensive weapon, namely a knife in Lincoln High Street; theft of food from a Tesco Express in Lincoln High Street; and wounding Tyler Baxter with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

Judge Simon Hirst adjourned sentence on Blades until January 9 but warned him that he now faced a mandatory life sentence for murder.

"You have pleaded guilty to of course what are extremely serious offences," Judge Hirst told Blades.

"You know that when I sentence you next Thursday that I will have to pass a sentence of life imprisonment upon you.

"What I will need help with from counsel is to decide the minimum term you will have to serve before you can be considered for parole."

Phil Bradley KC, defending Blades, said: "My lay client enters those pleas knowing there is only one sentence that can be passed, a sentence of life imprisonment."

Harpreet Sandu KC, prosecuting, said victim impact statements from Mr Connolly's sisters would be available at the sentence hearing along with a statement from Mr Baxter who has made a full physical recovery.

Blades was remanded back into custody until 9 January when he will be sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court.