He was robbed of his life when he was at his happiest.
Tragic pensioner Billy Jackson had just found love at the age 71 and was planning his future with his new partner when his life was cut short by a cruel home raider.
The former pit-worker went into cardiac arrest when vile Sarah Daniel broke into his home in Washington. And after Daniel was jailed for a total of 20 years after being convicted of Billy's manslaughter, his family have told of their anger at his cruel untimely death.
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His nephew David Jackson, 41, said: "It goes through my head what he must have gone through. He was a really friendly person. He would do anything for anyone. He was just a really nice genuine person and someone has taken advantage of that, basically for a quick fix.
"I know he was 71 years old, but I had never known him to be so happy before. He was enjoying the best years of his life."
Newcastle Crown Court heard how Billy, who lived alone in the Concord area of Washington had advanced heart disease, diabetes and mobility issues - which meant he used a scooter to get around outside.
He spent most of his time at home sitting in a fishing chair in his kitchen as it was the most comfortable position he could achieve, so much so he slept there too.
On September 24 last year, Daniel and her partner, Leanne English English hatched a plan to trick their way into his home to steal from him. Although it was not said English took part in the raid.
Jurors were told Billy's neighbour heard voices and then the door open and saw figures emerging. He gave chase but could not keep up and returned home.
He went back to Mr Jackson's flat and found him slumped on the kitchen floor and unconscious. He had suffered cardiac arrest. Paramedics kept him alive until he reached hospital but he died in the early hours of the next morning after a series of further cardiac arrests.
David, who was very close to his uncle, rushed to his home after being told about the burglary.
He said: "When I got down there they were working on him.. With it being a crime scene they didn't let anyone in. I was just thinking what the hell has gone on."
A pathologist who carried out a post mortem said he would not have died at that moment were it not for the stressful event of the burglary, the court was told.
David said his uncle had recently got together with his new partner, Linda Ord, before he died.
And Billy, who had previously worked for Sunderland City Council, had everything to live for.
"They lived round the corner from each other. She was there all the time. It's the first time I have known him to have a girlfriend," he said.
"With Covid my uncle stuck to the rules like everybody did. But once lockdown was over they went away to Blackpool and they were planning more holidays."
And paying tribute to his uncle, David added: "My uncle Billy was my dad's brother. I lived with him when I left home. He was like a second father to me.
"He was just very friendly and very loving. He was very family orientated. His family was his world."
A second victim, Barry Clark, lived alone in the Sulgrave area of Washington and was befriended by his neighbours, Daniel and English, who took advantage of him. He was the victim, initially, of an assault and a fraud then he was beaten in his own home and items were taken during the course of an aggravated burglary by Daniel and David Bulmer.
The court heard Mr Clark had allowed Daniel and English to borrow money on occasions but refused when they failed to pay him back. They would visit to have a drink and got him to allow them to use his bank account to pay money in.
In June last year English grabbed Mr Clark and held him in an underpass while Daniel took his wallet from his jeans pocket, containing his bank card and phone. She is then said to have run off and withdrawn £290 fraudulently, leaving just £10 in the account.
On September 17 last year, Daniel and Bulmer went to Mr Clark's home around 12pm, pushed him down the hallway and into the living room and that Bulmer "screamed" that he owed his friend money and hit his legs with a metal baseball bat, causing injuries, while Daniel took his wallet, containing £30, from his pocket. It's said she then took £200 cash from a coffee table.
The pair went to local shop and bought items with the stolen card before returning it through his door.
Daniel, 34, of Waterloo Walk, Washington, was found guilty of manslaughter and conspiracy to burgle Mr Jackson and aggravated burglary and two counts of fraud in relation to Mr Clark. She was jailed for a total of 20 years. English, 40, of Waterloo Walk, was found guilty of conspiracy to burgle Mr Jackson and common assault on Mr Clark. She was jailed for five years and five months.
Bulmer, 20, of Barmston Way, Washington was found guilty of aggravated burglary in relation to Mr Clark but not guilty of manslaughter and conspiracy to burgle Mr Jackson. He had admitted presence at the burglary of Mr Jackson but denied any wrongdoing. He was locked up for seven years.
The court heard Daniel had a troubled upbringing and was introduced to drugs at an early age. English's barrister said her role was limited and she has worked hard to deal with her chronic drug problem. Bulmer had a "traumatic and chaotic upbringing", was taking class A drugs at the time but is remorseful and has made good progress while remanded in custody, the court heard.
In a statement after the case, Billy's family said: "We have struggled to come to terms with what happened to Billy and that we have had to endure a trial.
“This has brought extra stress through this awful time. We hope as a family we can have justice and Billy can finally rest in peace. Our whole world from that Saturday morning turned completely upside down.
“Billy was such a kind, gentle generous man. He was a very old school man who would go out of his way to help and do what he could for anyone. To think that someone had hurt him makes us feel physically sick to the stomach and absolutely broken.
“As a family we know it wasn’t Billy’s time to go, he should have passed peacefully in his favourite chair just how he always wanted to. We have been robbed of the many years, memories and precious time as a family together.”
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