Teenager killed pensioner who caught him jumping on van
A teenager who beat to death a pensioner who challenged him for jumping on a van has been jailed for life.
Anthony Jacobs, 75, tried to challenge drunken 19-year-old Jake Saunders when he caught him jumping on a Volkswagen van in his street.
Saunders responded by launching a 10-minute assault which left Mr Jacobs's family unable to recognise his face.
He knocked his victim to the ground and stamped on him during the attack on December 10 last year.
The teenager also lifted Mr Jacobs's head and slammed it onto the concrete on Abbotsbury Road in Weymouth, Dorset, even after he had lost consciousness.
Mr Jacobs, a retired bricklayer, had every bone in his face broken, with 30 different injuries and suffered a cardiac arrest at the scene.
His brother told hospital staff they must have taken them to the wrong bed because he could not recognise him.
Mr Jacobs was placed in an induced coma but died nine days later.
Saunders, who was drunk and upset at the time after his girlfriend had just split up with him, was arrested a short time after the attack.
While in custody, he assaulted two police officers and an ambulance paramedic, who suffered a broken jaw.
Saunders pleaded guilty to Mr Jacobs's murder as well as three counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker.
He was on Monday jailed for life with a minimum prison sentence of 15 years.
Saunders's girlfriend told police he was already drunk at 4pm when she met him and ended their relationship.
Challenged his behaviour
A few hours later, he was seen in Abbotsbury Road 'taking out his anger' on a VW Transporter van, snapping off windscreen wipers, a wing mirror and then jumping on the bonnet.
Mr Jacobs was walking home from the pub when he challenged Saunders about his behaviour. The pensioner was walking away from Saunders when he was first hit.
Edward Culver, prosecuting, said: '[A witness] saw Jake Saunders throwing Anthony Jacobs against the van before pushing him down, punching him on the floor, kicking him in the face.
'He stamped on his head before repeatedly jumping on his head. At one point, he bent down, grabbing him and throwing his head down on the floor. By then, Mr Jacobs was no longer moving, he didn't retaliate to the onslaught he faced.
'Jake Saunders repeatedly picked him up and slammed him back down to the ground.'
'Apparently unbothered'
Bournemouth Crown Court heard Saunders then walked away 'apparently unbothered' by what he had just done and continued to vandalise other vehicles, including jumping on a VW Golf 'like it was a trampoline'.
He was seen by a member of the public trying to hide in a bush as police approached and then attacked three police officers as they tried to arrest him.
The court heard Mr Jacobs's injuries included multiple fractures to his nose, jaw and eye socket and damage to his neck that led to the cardiac arrest and resulting brain injury.
He also had a broken shoulder blade 'from the force of the blows' and six broken ribs.
The court heard victim impact statements from several family members, including Mr Jacobs's brother and daughters.
Daughter Teresa Green said: 'My dad was a good man, who enjoyed a simple life. He never did anyone any harm. It was important to him to work hard and do the right thing and he was always willing to help anybody.
'He was just walking home and doing the right thing. He did nothing to deserve what happened to him.
'I couldn't recognise my own dad. His face, so swollen and bruised, will haunt me forever. It is completely sickening.'
Nick Robinson, defending, said Saunders was genuinely remorseful and understood he deserved a life sentence.
'Senseless violence'
He read a letter written by Saunders to the court and Mr Jacobs's family which said: 'I am truly sorry for my disgusting actions. I'm sorry for taking his life and destroying your family. Every day I wish I could go back and change what has happened, not for myself, but for you.'
Judge Susan Evans KC described it as 'utterly brutal and senseless violence' towards a 'kind-hearted, caring and hardworking' man.
She said: 'The loss of Tony Jacobs has been utterly devastating to his family. There's nothing this court can do that can begin to make up for his tragic loss.
'He did what a particularly courageous and decent member of the public would do when presented with someone carrying out wanton criminal damage. Despite being 75 years of age, he challenged you.
'He was walking away when you cowardly attacked him from behind.
'He was plainly unconscious and unresponsive.'
Judge Evans said Saunders posed a high risk of danger to the public and handed him a life sentence in a young offenders' institute with a minimum of 15 years before he is eligible to be considered for release.
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