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Two lovers who stamped on the head of a frail man they had befriended before stabbing him with a broken bottle and leaving him for dead have been jailed for life.
Shane Myles, 32, and Kayleigh Halliday 36, murdered pensioner Paul Wakefield, 66, in his Folkestone home when they savagely beat him and looted his possessions.
The prosecution told Maidstone Crown Court Myles, who previously described Mr Wakefield as being like a "father to him" and ex-lover Halliday, had shown no regret.
Myles, who admitted stamping on Mr Wakefield's head but denied the more serious charge, was found guilty of murder by a jury earlier this month. He had alleged the stabbing was carried out by Halliday.
During the trial a jury was told that the pair were seen at Folkestone West Station holding hands, caressing, laughing and walking with their arms around each other after the incident.
Halliday, of Crown Road, Sittingbourne, sensationally changed her plea in July to guilty to murder earlier on in the trial.
Judge Philip Statman said the pair had "showed no mercy" in what he described as a "brutal attack".
Imposing a life sentence with a 21-year minimum term for Halliday and 22-years for Myles, he said: "Mr Wakefield was content for you to enter his home and all was well, there was a carnival atmosphere and then a considerable amount of alcohol was drunk.
"Then we do not assert a motive, we will never know what it was that caused the violence on Mr Wakefield which led to his untimely death."
Addressing Myles, whose temper in the courtroom he described as "utterly frightening", he added: "I find you extraordinary in your suggestion he was your best friend.
"He was prepared to share what he had with you and Hallilday and he had a fondness and affection to the fact you had a child. He supported you and your son and you responded to him in this terrible manner."
"You murdered him in his own home where he should have felt safe and secure."
Mr Wakefield had some health and mobility issues including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, psoriasis, and alcohol dependence syndrome.
Daniel Stevenson prosecuting told the court: "He lived alone and was frail. He was a generous person and would offer relief to the homeless.
"It is unclear when he befriended Myles and Halliday but in 2016 when she was pregnant he bought her a buggy and clothes for the baby and he referred to them as a his son and daughter and they would call him dad or pa."
He added that on January 2 Miles arrived to see Halliday at the victim's home in Coolinge Lane and then later at 1pm Mr Wakefield and a friend went to Morrisions for vodka.
Two others who had been at the home left the Folkestone property with Myles and Halliday still inside.
Later at 8.50pm a friend returned to the property to discover Mr Wakefield beaten and covered in blood with his head half under the settee and his jumper pulled up.
Mr Wakefield had been stabbed twice in the stomach with a broken beer or vodka bottle and his skull was left exposed.
He was taken to hospital but his life support was switched off on January 3 and he died at 10.36pm.
A post-mortem showed he died of blunt force trauma to his head and face and had suffered brain damage.
After the attack, the pair were seen walking arm in arm together at the station.
When Myles of Rock Avenue, Gillingham, was arrested he tried to escape and pushed the officer in the chest and clenched his fists. He also tried to punch the female officer.
During the trial, Simon Taylor QC, prosecuting in the case, told the 11-strong jury Halliday and Myles had "abused the trust bestowed on them" by the victim.
"They called Mr Wakefield 'dad' yet they betrayed him by beating him to death and stealing from him," he said.
"The sheer brutality of the assault speaks volumes as to what was going on in the minds of the defendants.
Myles lied about taking part in the attack on the man, who had called him "son", in a three-hour police interview - and again in his legal defence statement.
He said while on remand he spoke with a fellow prisoner and decided to admit what he had done.
When quizzed over changes in his account of events in court, Myles answered: "I didn't want to admit to myself what I had done, I was ashamed."
Read more from the trial here:
Couple kissed and held hands after killing man in Folkestone flat
Lovers discussed running away together after brutal killing of Folkestone man, jury told
Mr Wakefield died from his injuries after he invited Myles' ex-lover Halliday to stay at his home.
The jury heard how Myles, who had been released from a prison sentence only days earlier, arrived at the flat in Coolinge Lane, Folkestone to apologise for stealing Mr Wakefield's TV.
After binging on vodka and cider, he and Halliday launched a ferocious attack and Mr Wakefield was beaten and stamped to death. The pair then left after taking his wallet, mobile phone and credit card.
"My brother was killed in a savage way by people he was kind to, his kindness backfired."
The pensioner was one of ten siblings and his brother Shane Wakefield was with him when he passed away.
He told the court in a victim impact statement: “I looked at my dying brother and I’d been told he had catastrophic brain damage. I held his hand, I was heartbroken.
"I kissed Paul and I played music he liked and waited until he passed. I’ve had to have grief counselling. I was not prepared for the senseless loss. I’ve been robbed of his presence."
The victim's brother added: "I have a heavy heart. My brother was killed in a savage way by people he was kind to, his kindness backfired.
"Paul had his problems with alcohol, but he was a well loved figure in Folkestone.
"He would show kindness to strangers. He was proud when he was with me and will tell people this is my brother and he loved his nephews and nieces.
"They (the defendants) did not spare us this trial. We are the ones left with a life sentence. They bit the hand of kindness."
The court also heard Myles has 34 convictions for 77 offences including battery, arson, theft, burglary, ABH, assault on emergency worker, violent behaviour at police station, handling stolen goods and fraud.
He was on licence from a 40 month sentence he’d just been released from at the time of the murder.
Myles had also been given an 84 day suspended sentence for 12 months for an assault on an emergency worker on June 18 last year.
His ex-lover Halliday has seven convictions for 10 offences including ABH, assault on police and battery. She has never been in prison before.
Her barrister Isabella Forshall QC said she is a mother of six and is terribly sorry for her behaviour and the harm she’s done to others. Both have been on remand for 232 days since January 6.
John Cammegh QC for Myles said: “He did not intend to kill, he only struck the deceased twice."
He added: "He’s had a desperately sad and deprived upbringing. It’s very easy to say sorry, they are weasel words, but in his case the words have the ring of sincerity.
"He has lost a dear friend after he did what he did when he was out of his mind. He will regret it forever."
Following the verdict earlier this month, Judge Philip Statman praised the police team for its "excellent" work in solving the murder.
"They have shown throughout police work at its best," he said.
The officers - DC Nicola Lincoln, DC Kerry Adams, DS Ash Bowles and DI Ross Gurden - will now receive a commendation from Kent's Chief Constable.
Mr Wakefield was discovered at 8.50pm on January 2 and attending officers quickly established Halliday and Myles had been at the property.
They were tracked down and arrested elsewhere in Folkestone around three hours later. Myles had Mr Wakefield's bank card on him and traces of the victim’s blood were found on both suspects’ shoes.
Detectives later used CCTV to work out the route taken by the pair following the attack and Mr Wakefield's phone was found discarded on that route.
DI Ross Gurden of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: "These two offenders carried out an extremely violent and tragically fatal attack on a man who had invited them into his home.
"Despite trying to blame each other for the crime, I am pleased the diligent work of our team means they will both now be sentenced for murder.
"Mr Wakefield’s death was deeply upsetting for his family, friends and the local community and I hope the fact that his killers have been brought to justice provides some solace to those who knew him."
Judge Statman also praised Mr Wakefield's family for distinguishing themselves by their dignity.
