Man sentenced to 18 years for brutal attack on pensioner in Blackburn

Monday, 29 July 2024 10:31

A man has been jailed after an attack on a pensioner in Blackburn.

In November 2023, Nicholas Armstrong entered the home of a 75-year-old widower in Blackburn before committing a brutal and unprovoked attack upon him.

This included striking him multiple times to the head with a fire extinguisher that he picked up from within the victim’s home.

With the victim injured and defenceless, Armstrong continued to inflict repeated blows to the victim in multiple areas of his home, before taking cash and bank cards from the victim’s trouser pocket and using them to purchase items from shops in the local area.

The victim miraculously managed to drive himself to hospital, where he remained for six weeks. He has no memory of how he received his injuries or who was responsible.

After a thorough and comprehensive investigation by detectives, Armstrong was identified and subsequently arrested on 16th November 2023.

Armstrong, 50, of no fixed address, was charged with Section 18 wounding and remanded into custody.

Stating that Armstrong presented a high risk to members of the public and intimate partners, with high risk of further serious offending, the judge deemed him to be a dangerous offender.

Armstrong was given an immediate custodial sentence of 13 years, with a further five years on extended licence.

DC Jack Greenhalgh, of Blackburn CID, said: “I am pleased that the sentence handed down to Armstrong is a significant one, reflective of the severity of the offence, the danger that he presents to innocent members of the public and the vulnerability of the victim upon which this brutal and mindless attack was inflicted.

“I want to praise the victim for the bravery he has shown throughout this process. He continues to recover from the physical and psychological impact of the attack, over eight months after it occurred.”