A FORMER soldier who murdered a ‘dear friend’ in a brutal carving fork attack has been jailed for life.

David Kershaw, 40, stabbed Joseph Conroy with such ferocity that the fork pierced his skull.

After the sentencing, Mr Conroy’s family branded Kershaw a ‘monster’ who they hoped ‘rots in hell’.

Police said Kershaw, of Birch Hall Avenue, Darwen, was ‘violent, dangerous and callous’.

The judge told Kershaw he his ‘brutal’ attack - which happened during a drinking session – had ‘needlessly wasted the valued life of a man much loved’.

Father-of-six Mr Conroy, 51, was found dead on his bed in Redearth Road, Darwen, on April 18.

A post mortem revealed he had died from head injuries consistent with being repeatedly kicked and punched. He also had two puncture wounds to his head, one of which had perforated his skull and caused heamoraging.

Kershaw was arrested by police after his mother contacted officers when he confessed to her.

Despite that admission, Kershaw had denied the offence at court and was due to stand trial this week.

But he finally pleaded guilty to murder yesterday. The judge jailed him for life and told him he would be eligible for parole in 13 years.

Speaking after the sentencing at Preston Crown Court, Mr Conroy's sister June Biggs said: "I would like to express the utter devastation that Kershaw has brought upon the whole family by horrifically murdering Joe.

"We have lost a wonderful son, brother, uncle and father because of this violent monster.

"We have all gone through five months of sheer hell because he didn't have the decency to admit what he had done."

She added: "The 13-year sentence he got doesn't reflect what he did to Joe and will never bring him back.

"We cannot comprehend how any human being can do this to another. We hope he rots in hell. He is nothing but scum in our eyes.

"Joe was a kind, funny loving man who loved life and would have done anything for anybody. He wouldn't have hurt a fly. He didn't like violence.”

Kershaw had separated from his wife and was dealing with his depression through bouts of heavy drinking, the court was told.

He had called at Mr Conroy's flat on the evening of April 17 and the pair had shared a few drinks.

A neighbour later hard a banging noise and someone saying that they had been stabbed, followed by more noise.

Several customers noticed Kershaw's blood stained clothes when he later went into the Black Horse pub, opposite Mr Conroy's home, the court heard.

The following morning Mr Conroy's neighbour spotted blood stains in the communal hall way and found a bloodied carving fork on the floor, which he washed while tidying up.

He saw Mr Conroy lying on his bed but emergency services were not called until several hours later when it became apparent Mr Conroy was dead and not just asleep.

After reading a report in the Lancashire Telegraph Kershaw confessed he had killed Mr Conroy to two close friends and his mother.

The court was told Mr Conroy had become friends with Kershaw through their shared love of fishing and interest in the fishing club at Watery Lane in Darwen.

Prosecuting, Stephen Riordan QC said: "His motive (for the killing) is unclear, if indeed there was a motive. Mr Kershaw was an excessive drinker and was drunk on the night in question."

Peter Wright QC, defending, said the attack was ‘inexplicable’ and had caused anguish and despair to Mr Conroy’s family.

He said: "Mr Kershaw's life follows the all to familiar distintigration from former soldier, husband, father and in gainful employment through a symptomatic downward spiral into a derelict living a drink fuelled existence.

"He knows he is responsible for the death of a dear friend."

Passing sentence, the Recorder of Preston Judge Anthony Russell QC said: "As a result of this offence the valued life of a man much loved by his family was needlessly wasted by you. This was clearly a sustained attack carried out with a degree of brutality."

Speaking after the sentencing Detective Inspector Mark Rothwell said: "The vicious and unprovoked nature of the attack on Joseph Conroy demonstrates what a violent, dangerous and callous man David Kershaw is.

"Mr Conroy's family and friends may never come to terms with these events; I just hope they can take a crumb of comfort from knowing that Joseph's attacker is behind bars."