A MAN who killed a retired lecturer he had befriended and then destroyed his home in a blaze has been jailed for 12 years.

The body of Christopher Proctor, 88, was recovered from his fire-ravaged Blackburn bungalow after it had been set alight by Anthony Curry.

The judge, Mr Justice MacDuff, said it was ‘difficult to imagine a more serious case of manslaughter’. He said reading the victim impact statement from Mr Proctor’s daughter had made him weep.

Curry had earlier ransacked the great grandfather's home with his girlfriend, Clare Randall, where they stole his wallet and bank card.

Both went to a nearby cash machine to draw money out but they were thwarted because Mr Proctor had changed his pin number hours earlier.

Curry, 39, returned alone to the bungalow where it is believed Mr Proctor had a door slammed in his face and suffered a cardiac arrest ‘out of fear and shock’, Preston Crown Court heard.

The heroin addict then set about to destroy any evidence of his wrongdoing by torching the property in Pleckgate in the early hours of November 10 last year.

Mr Justice MacDuff, handing down the jail term yesterday, told the pair: “What a tragic case. This lovely old man, 88-years-old, vulnerable, living alone, a retired lecturer, a degree from Cambridge, relatively well off and targeted by people like you. And not the first time you had targeted him.

"You say you are sorry. So you should be.

"I have read the impact statement from his daughter. I have read it three times now. It makes me want to weep.

"Grandfather, great-grandfather, beloved father, lost to his family. The anguish it has heaped upon them because of your selfishness and your addiction to drugs."

He said he hoped the family would think that justice had been properly done in the case.

Curry, 39, of Dyson Street, Blackburn had pleaded guilty to manslaughter, arson, burglary and two attempted thefts.

His co-defendant, Randall, 31, also formerly of Dyson Street, admitted being involved in an earlier burglary of the same address and two attempted thefts. She was given two years and five months.

Mr Proctor's home was destroyed by the blaze and had to be knocked down and rebuilt at a cost of £71,500.

According to his family, the fire itself was a great part of the tragedy because they were unable to say goodbye to him properly.

During an earlier break-in at the home, Curry and Randall spent two and a half hours in there. Drawers were opened and searched and the pair left with a 'bag of spoils' and Mr Proctor's wallet and bank cards.

Two unsuccessful attempts were made to withdraw money from his account.

Half an hour later, Curry returned alone and the ‘wicked’ events followed.

Anthony Cross QC, defending Curry, said: "He has expressed remorse for his actions and stated how deeply sorry he is for the harm caused. He went on to state that words didn't go far enough to express how he feels.

"It is easy for a defendant to say sorry now, but he genuinely feels it.

"There was really no intent to commit any serious injury. The Crown accept the plea of guilty on the basis that the death occurred during the course of the second visit to the house, as a result of the poor man being hit by the door and a combination of shock, the shock of being disturbed by the intruder at night".

Curry had been sentenced for burglary on four other occasions in the past. He had old convictions for violence.

Mark Stuart, for Randall, said she knew that a prison sentence would follow. The only question was one of length.

He said: "She is determined she will do her best to try and avoid the repetition of any offending".

In his sentencing comments, Mr Justice MacDuff, said: "It wasn't the first time you have targeted this man for an easy touch.

"It is difficult to imagine a more serious case of manslaughter, with more aggravating features."

He referred to a letter written by Curry in which he said of his co-defendant Randall: "She is only stood in front of you today because of me.

"I beg you, give her a chance to carry on sorting her life out".

Following the case Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Paul Withers from the Force Major Investigation Team said: “Whilst pleading guilty saves the family the trauma of having to sit through a trial, it doesn’t diminish the serious consequences of Anthony Curry’s actions.

“Curry showed no regard for Mr Proctor, he was just intent on stealing from him. Over a period of time he befriended him and preyed on his vulnerability and took advantage.

“This really is a tragic case that touched the hearts of the local community. I would like to thank those people who came forward with information that assisted our investigation.”