A PIPE fitter is today beginning a life sentence in prison after being found guilty of battering a retired paramedic to death.

Michael Andrew Sanderson, 31, must serve a minimum of 14 years behind bars for killing Terence Edward Taylor following a pub crawl in May last year.

Mr Taylor, known as Terry, suffered a brain haemorrhage following Sanderson’s brutal attack in a back room of Cockermouth’s Globe Hotel and was pronounced dead on arrival at the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

Sanderson, of Arkleby Hall Cottages, Arkleby, near Aspatria, denied murdering the 59-year-old father-of-three.

But he was found guilty by a jury of seven women and five men following a six-day trial at Manchester Crown Court. They deliberated their verdict for just under two hours.

The killer and victim had been part of a pool team pub crawl on May 30 and 31, taking in various drinking spots across north and west Cumbria, ending up in Cockermouth.

Mr Taylor, who was from Oldham, had owned a caravan near Aspatria for about 17 years and played for the Red Lion’s team if he was in the area and they were short of players.

During the trial, the jury were told that Mr Taylor had been the victim of a “repeated” and “forceful” attack that caused him not only to suffer a brain haemorrhage, but a shattered cheekbone, jawbone and eye socket.

A Home Office pathologist described the attack as “multiple blows delivered with a severe degree of force”.

Throughout the investigation and trial, Sanderson maintained he had no recollection of part of the night, including the time where Mr Taylor was murdered.

CCTV images played to the court showed Sanderson and Taylor drinking in The Globe’s bar in the early hours of May 31.

“For reasons which will forever remain unknown you both moved away from the bar and on the CCTV you could be seen going towards that place at the back of the bar near to the toilets and the fire doors,” said Judge Michael Henshell as he sentenced Sanderson to life in prison.

“At approximately 1.45am you disappear from view. What follows was that Terry Taylor was attacked by you.”

The judge said he accepted that the attack was not premeditated but Mr Taylor was killed in a “sustained and merciless beating”.

The judge added: “I’m quite satisfied that this is not a case where you intended to kill Terry Taylor.

“But, as the jury have found, you certainly had the intention to cause him serious harm.

“It ended his [Mr Taylor’s] life in a drunken and inexplicable torrent of violence.”

The judge concluded his sentencing by telling Sanderson: “You clearly have a capacity for extreme and frightening violence.”

Sanderson’s barrister, Anthony Metzer, told the judge that his client accepted he caused the death of Mr Taylor and that his remorse is genuine.

He added: “I can’t play down the effect on Mr Taylor’s family... but I will ask your honour to accept that it has been a devastating loss to Sanderson as well.

“He has lost everything.”

Dressed in a navy blue suit and white shirt, Sanderson held back tears as he was taken away from the court to begin his prison sentence.