Man Convicted Of Murdering Man, 79

A 27-year-old has been convicted of brutally murdering an elderly man in London.

Andrew Monk, 27, of Abergeldie Road, SE12 was on Tuesday found guilty of the murder of James Land, 79, at Mr Land's home in Whitefoot Terrace, Lewisham on 10 May 2011.

James Land, a widower, had been badly affected by a stroke he had suffered 4 years earlier and his mobility had suffered significantly as a result.

Monk attacked Mr Land as he sat in an armchair in his living room and punched him in the face a number of times causing bruising, cuts and bleeding. Monk then went on to stab Mr Land eleven times using a kitchen knife, which he had brought with him.

There was no evidence to suggest that Mr Land offered any resistance to this fatal attack.

Police were called by a member of the public who expressed concern for the 79-year-old, and when they attended his house in Whitefoot Terrace, Lewisham, at 9.55pm they found the body of Mr Land.

He had been stabbed multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. A subsequent post-mortem gave cause of death as stab wounds.

Following the attack Monk went to Beckenham Place Park, where he got rid of items of his clothing that were covered in Mr Land's blood as well as the knife.

That evening Monk confessed to a number of people, including his ex-partner, his employer and his childhood friend that he had carried out the murder. He also confessed to police when they arrested him shortly afterward.

Monk has never been clear about why he killed James Land but during the trial he tried to blame him for provoking the attack.

Speaking after the verdict Detective Inspector Graeme Gwyn, from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: "Andrew Monk tried to claim he was provoked by James Land, an elderly man who had difficulty walking around due to two previous strokes, into the extreme violence he used to kill him.

"There has never been any evidence to support this claim. He went to James Land's house armed with a knife and killed him as he sat in his living room - a place where he should have felt and should have been safe.

"I am very pleased that the jury has returned a guilty verdict and that Monk will now face justice for the dreadful crime that he committed against a defenceless old man.

(DW/GK)