"This is the behaviour of a monster": 'Evil' killer who bludgeoned housemate 18 times with an axe in horror attack jailed for life

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

An 'evil' killer who brutally murdered his housemate after bludgeoning him 18 times with an axe has been jailed for life. Kieran Oldham, 37, was ordered to serve at least 22 years after launching a ferocious attack on 21-year-old Liam Richardson.

Liam, from Middleton, had fallen on 'difficult times' and had been living with Oldham at his home on Industry Road in Rochdale.

But a judge said it was clear that Oldham 'used' and 'bullied' Liam, who was described as being 'somewhat vulnerable'. Chilling voice recordings captured minutes before the killing told how Liam begged Oldham to let him leave the house.

Oldham then armed himself with an axe and launched a horrendous attack on Liam, who suffered terrible head injuries and died in the early hours of October 3 last year. READ MORE: Alleged 'mastermind' of fatal attack on Thomas Campbell arrested in south America on drugs charges Minshull Street Crown Court heard that Liam was alive for some of the attack, suffering defensive injuries as he desperately tried to protect himself. "He must have been aware of the hopelessness of his situation as he tried to fend off blows from the axe," Judge Maurice Greene said.