11:20am Thursday 11th March 2010
A 20-YEAR-old murderer starting a life sentence went off the rails after being rejected by the Army, a court was told.
Matthew McKay was yesterday told he will spend a minimum of 18 years in jail for killing John Crabtree on a canal towpath in Blackburn.
McKay's defence barrister Dennis Watson QC said his client became a 'directionless, rudderless young man' after his dream on joining the army was dashed on medical grounds.
Mr Watson said the former Darwen Vale High School pupil was from a 'thoroughly decent and respectable family' with a strong work ethnic.
By the time he murdered Mr Crabtree, 40, on the canal tow path near the Moorings pub, Bolton Road, McKay had left the family home due to his cannabis use, and was living at the Nightsafe shelter.
Mr Watson said McKay's dream of being a serviceman hit an initial set back when he was knocked off his scooter, preventing him from joining straight away.
He was then diagnosed as having a hairline fracture of the spine.
Bosses told him he would not be able to carry the weights required of infantrymen.
Mr Watson said: "That was a severe blow to his ambition that just took the wind out of his sails completely.
"It seem to he became something of a directionless, rudderless young man, in terms of having no focus at all.
"He had lost the goal he had in mind for his adolescent years and he didn't know where he was heading.”
McKay launched an unprovoked attack on Mr Crabtree after asking him for a cigarette.
He punched, kicked then stamped on Mr Crabtree's head.
Judge Stuart Baker told McKay: "You took pride and pleasure in committing what I can only regard as a brutal and prolonged assault on him.
”John Crabtree was minding his own business and doing no harm to you or anybody. You held hostile views towards him, based upon some supposed misbehaviour by him.”
After the case, Acting Detective Chief Inspector Des Coop who led the investigation, said: “I am very pleased with the sentence passed today, it takes account of how violent and sustained the assault was.
"It was a completely unprovoked attack on a vulnerable individual who did not pose a threat to anyone.
"McKay left his victim for dead and has shown absolutely no remorse.
“This has been a difficult investigation and I am very grateful for the assistance of the witnesses who came forward and helped outline what had gone on. Without this assistance we would not have achieved the positive outcome that we have today.
"My thoughts today are with John’s sister Debbie and her family.”
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