'Cold and wicked' killer 'told lie after lie' to escape justice after strangling elderly widower Malcolm Frary

Dunne, 44, of Withnell Road, South Shore, strangled Mr Frary with a cord taken from the waistband of his jogging bottoms on December 31 2021, shortly after entering the father-of-four’s Ecclestone Road home.

READ: Life sentence for killer who strangled elderly man to death in his Blackpool home

He then stole Mr Frary’s wallet, mobile phone, car keys and car, which he abandoned in various places nearby in an attempt to make the murder look like a botched burglary. He dropped the gloves he had been wearing at the time of the attack down a drain on Horncliffe Road, and threw his jacket and jogging bottoms over a fence.

He claimed to have no knowledge of Mr Frary’s death when he was arrested on January 2.

Detective chief inspector Lee Wilson, of the Blackpool CID, said: “Dunne’s actions were cold, calculated and wicked, he sought to lie and twist the facts repeatedly during the course of the investigation and never showed any remorse or contrition for what he had done. Throughout, he thought only about himself and told lie after lie in an effort to frustrate the investigation and court process. Only at the eleventh hour, with nowhere left to go with his lies, did he finally admit Mr Frary’s murder."

Dunne – who changed his not guilty plea on the very day his trial was due to start – was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 19 years at Preston Crown Court on Friday (July 1).

The court heard how Dunne, a known drug user, was the ex-boyfriend of one of Mr Frary’s neighbours, and had once lived with her on Eccleston Road.

However, the relationship broke down after the woman suspected him of stealing money from her children’s Christmas cards to fund his heroin and crack cocaine addiction.

Judge Robert Altham said: “Malcolm was a kind, gentle man who went out of his way to help other people.

"In the weeks leading up to his death he loaned a modest amount of money to the defendant in particular. He also provided lifts apparently on demand, sometimes several times a day. There's no doubt that the defendant took advantage of Malcolm's accommodative and helpful nature."

Det Wilson said: “He will now have a very long time to contemplate the enormity of his actions and the upset and anxiety he has caused for Mr Frary’s family and indeed his own loved ones.

“I should like to thank all officers involved in the investigation, our colleagues in the CPS, in particular Ms. Katie Marsden and Queens Counsel Mr David Temkin for his expert presentation of the case before the court.

“We welcome the sentence handed down by the court and hope this gives Mr Frary’s family some closure as they move forward with their lives, the Judge paid tribute in court for their bravery and dignity in support of the proceedings and I, of course, echo those welcome comments.”