24-year-old Christopher Walton beat a man to death over £20, and he will now be jailed for life. Walton was loitering outside of the Seven Acres Fish and Chip shop in Bolton, Greater Manchester, last year on the 13th of July, when 45-year-old Christopher Hardman, attempted to enter the business.
Walton and Hardman were reportedly friends, and Hardman owed him £20.
As soon as he saw Hardman, he stopped him and dragged him out into the middle of the street asking him, “you got my 20 bar?”
He then mercilessly beat the man, and knocked him unconscious before rifling through his pockets in the street.
Walton then began to walk away, but returned to his victim after he noticed him regaining consciousness. He then kicked and stamped on his victim’s head before leaving him to die.
The whole incident was captured on CCTV footage that was shown in court. The judge in the case said that anyone viewing the video footage “would struggle to understand how one human being could descend to the brutal violence.”
Hardman reportedly pleaded for his life and gave Walton all the money he had on him, which was sadly not enough to prevent the attack. Hardman was taken to Salford Royal Hospital, but passed away one week later despite the best efforts of medical staff.
A post mortem report determined that Hardman suffered a serious brain injury, a jaw fracture, a fractured eye socket, and blunt force wounds to his cheekbone and nose, according to Metro.
During sentencing Judge Anthony Cross QC said: “The Crown are right to describe this “a merciless series of stamps and blows. What makes your conduct even more grave is to be found in the fact that you would leave the prone body of your victim and then return to it and inflict more harm. I am satisfied that you were somehow demonstrating to your so-called associates how vicious you could be. After you had finished with him you left him for dead.”
Walton has been sentenced to life in prison and will not be eligible for parole for at least 20 years.
