Martin Glynn was allegedly attacked in his Northamptonshire home by Sam Field, 40, in 2024 and suffered horrific injuries, including a broken neck and bleeding on the brain
A defenceless 93-year-old man who died after being tortured for a staggering 28 hours used his last words to name his killer, a court has heard.
Martin Glynn passed away three months after allegedly being punched, kicked, strangled and having his head stamped on by 40-year-old Sam Field. Jurors were told Field even filmed himself carrying out the brutal attack on the frail pensioner at his home in Desborough, Northamptonshire in September 2024.
Police arrived at the flat to find Mr Glynn lying “‘unceremoniously dumped” in a shower tray after being subjected to the “savage and senseless” assault. The pensioner died in Kettering General Hospital on December 26 after suffering bleeds to his brain and broken bones in his neck.
READ MORE: Teenager charged with murder of woman found dead in Hyde Park mansionREAD MORE: Heartbreak as ‘beautiful soul’ dead in tower block ‘murder’ and suspect charged
Northampton Crown Court heard how he used his final words to tell a detective how Field had attacked him and that he’d been blackmailed into handing over thousands of pounds to his supposed friend. Field is accused of murder as well as manslaughter, grievous bodily harm with intent and grievous bodily harm.
Opening the case, Adrian Langdale KC said Mr Glynn arrived at Field’s home after a bus journey from his home in Northampton before Field began making ‘bizarre accusations’ about a conspiracy against him. He said: “Over the course of the next 28 hours this defendant, suffering from paranoia caused by cannabis and deliberately not sleeping, would repeatedly and savagely punch, kick and stamp on Mr Glynn’s head, and then he would strangle him.
“This defendant was a ticking time-bomb in the days and hours leading up to the attack on Mr Glynn. The attack was more prolonged and brutal and lengthier than Field will ever admit.” Mr Langdale said Field made a series of voice recordings during the attack, forcing his victim to admit to Field’s paranoid conspiracies.
Jurors had to listen to a “harrowing” recording of what was “effectively a voice note of what can only be described as a tortured confession”. Field did not phone an ambulance until 3.40pm the following day in a bid to “cover his own backside.”
Mr Glynn was found to have extensive bruising around his face, shoulder and arm, two broken bones in his neck and three ‘significant’ bleeds on his brain. Shortly afterwards, while in hospital, Mr Glynn lost his ability to speak and his final account of the attack named Field as his attacker to Detective Sergeant Lee Bergin.
Det Sgt Bergin said in his witness statement: “Martin informed me. Sam put his hands around his neck and squeezed. He said that Sam stated he was out to kill him. He squeezed so tightly that Martin thought he was going to die.
“He stated that he’s given Sam Field thousands of pounds. He visited him every week and would give him £200 in an envelope. It’s been an ongoing arrangement since he got out of prison. He said he tormented him and blackmailed him.”
Mr Glynn told Det Sgt Bergin that he had ‘foolishly’ taken Field into his Park Square flat after he was released from prison on probation, and after living with him for a ‘short while’ he had moved next door to him. The court heard several bank accounts belonging to both the victim and defendant were analysed.
The transactions included 701 ATM cash withdrawals, in increasing amounts, by Mr Glynn between 2018 and 2024. Between September 2021 and Mr Glynn’s death, he withdrew £21,780 in cash. The court also heard when his flat was searched, crime scene investigators found blood on the walls, floor and skirting, screwed up tissues with blood on them, and a blood-soaked pillow. The blood was a billion-to-one match for Mr Glynn.
The trial continues.
