CCTV shows the final moments of an innocent man before he was kicked and stamped to death, after being falsely accused of being a “nonce”.
Jason Lord, 50, was seen whistling as he left a bus and walked through the Montagu Estate in Kenton, Newcastle, on 20 January. Footage shows him putting his hand out for balance, before staggering around the path and onto the road.
In what would prove a fatal encounter, he briefly said “hello” to a young girl who was walking in the opposite direction, and continued on his walk.
Jason Lord was seen exiting a bus before making his way back to his home in Kenton— (Northumbria Police)
Upon hearing about the exchange, his attacker Steven Walton jumped in his BMW and set out to find him. He discovered an intoxicated Lord lying on the ground 200 yards from his home, having lost his balance and fallen.
Walton proceeded to repeatedly kick and stamp on his victim’s head, before leaving him for dead.
The assault left Lord with fatal head injuries, and his body was discovered by a local resident who immediately rang 999.
Despite the efforts of the emergency services, he was pronounced dead at the scene, with his cause of death given as blunt impact trauma to the head.
Jason Lord was pronounced dead at the scene— (Northumbria Police)
Walton, 42, of The Crossway, Kenton, denied murder but was found guilty by a jury following a six-day trial at Newcastle Crown Court. He is due to be sentenced at the same court today (Tuesday, July 25).
Detective Chief Inspector Angela Hudson, the senior investigating officer in the case, said: “First and foremost, I’d like to thank Jason’s family for their strength and poise shown over the last seven months since he was cruelly taken away from them.
Steven Walton repeatedly kicked and stamped Mr Lord and caused fatal injuries— (Northumbria Police)
“We have been committed to bringing Jason’s killer to justice ever since this awful incident, and I sincerely hope today’s outcome can offer them some comfort.
“On the night he was murdered, Jason was simply walking home when he greeted a young girl as he passed her on the pavement. He did not stop or try to engage in conversation - quite simply, he acted as anyone might have done.
“Walton’s actions, upon hearing about the exchange, were entirely hysterical and his decision to jump in a car and then carry out this brutal attack have destroyed more than one life forever.
“There is never any acceptable excuse for violence, and as a force we will continue to look to take swift and robust action against perpetrators."
