Killer who strangled pensioner, 76, to death in his own home before stealing his car in 'cold and calculated' attack is jailed for 19 years

• Ian Dunne strangled  Malcom Frary, 76, in his Blackpool home on New Year's Eve 
• The callous killer initially told police he did not know how Mr Frary died 
• Dunne has been jailed for a minimum of 19 years at Preston Crown Court 

A 'calculated and wicked' killer has been jailed for 19 years after he strangled a pensioner to death and stole his car on New Year's Eve.

Ian Dunne, 44, from Blackpool, used the cord from his jogging bottoms to strangle Malcolm Frary, 76, in his own home then 'told lie after lie' to cover his tracks.

The widower's car was discovered dumped and his mobile phone was found near rail tracks close to the scene.

Dunne was arrested and told police he had no knowledge of how Mr Frary died, but later admitted killing him.

He was jailed for a minimum of 19 years after pleading guilty to murder at Preston Crown Court.

Mr Frary's son discovered his father's body on New Year's Day after being alerted by a neighbour that noticed there was a broken glass panel in his front door and the curtains were still shut.

Police went to the house at 4.35pm that day and ambulance crews confirmed the widower's tragic death.

A Home Office post-mortem gave the cause of death as strangulation and a murder inquiry was launched.

Dunne was quickly linked to the crime after police discovered Mr Frary had given a family friend a lift to work in his Vauxhall Meriva around 5.40pm on 31 December.

They found that Dunne was also in the car at the time and once the friend had been dropped off, Mr Frary drove to his home with Dunne.  

Shortly after, at around 6.20pm, a neighbour saw Dunne knocking on the front door of Mr Frary's property and 10 minutes later, the Vauxhall Meriva was seen on CCTV being driven away at speed from the property.

Mr Frary's mobile phone was then turned off and footage showed a man, believed to Dunne, walking on nearby roads in the direction of Woodstock Gardens.

The next day, Mr Frary's body was found inside his address. The missing Vauxhall was found in Woodstock Gardens on 2 January, and officers confirmed that the vehicle had been there since New Year's Day.

A search of the local area led officers to a wallet containing Mr Frary's driving licence and a pair of black gloves in a street drain.

A green mobile phone belonging to Mr Frary was also recovered from train tracks next to Ventnor Road and the junction with Horncliffe Road.

And around 7ft away from the phone, officers found a drawstring from Dunne's jogging bottoms.

A distinctive camouflage jacket belonging to Dunne was also found on the tracks.

When Dunne was arrested, he feigned shock and claimed he had been elsewhere at the time of Mr Frary's death.

He said Mr Frary had taken him to a friend's house where he'd spent the night, adding he had no knowledge of how the pensioner had died.

But when the evidence was put to Dunne, he refused to comment, and the 44-year-old was later charged with murder.

Det Chief Inspector Lee Wilson, of the Blackpool CID, said Dunne had shown no remorse and told 'lie after lie' in an attempt to frustrate the murder investigation.

He said: 'Dunne's actions were cold, calculated and wicked, he sought to lie and twist the facts repeatedly during the course of the investigation and never showed any remorse or contrition for what he had done.

'Throughout, he thought only about himself and told lie after lie in an effort to frustrate the investigation and court process.

'Only at the eleventh hour, with nowhere left to go with his lies, did he finally admit Mr Frary's murder.'

Det Chief Inspector Wilson added that Dunne will now have a 'very long time to contemplate the enormity of his actions and the upset and anxiety he has caused'.

Katie Marsden, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West said: 'This was a tragic case, Mr Frary was described by family and friends as a gentle, kind man, his life has now been cut short by the selfish and brutal actions of Ian Dunne.

'The Crown Prosecution Service worked with Lancashire police to build a strong case. Dunne has attempted to mislead the police and court at every turn.

'When faced with the body of evidence including witness testimony, CCTV of his movements, cell site analysis to show where he was at the material time and forensic evidence, he abandoned his alibi and accepted his guilt.

'I hope this conviction and sentence will give Mr Frary's family and friends some sense of justice. My thoughts are with them at this time.'