04 October 2023 , 13:51
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Detectives launched a fresh appeal over the shocking murder of a pensioner who was savagely beaten to death in his own home.
Tommy Ward, 80, was pictured lying on a hospital bed with horrific bloody wounds across his face, neck, and chest in graphic images that shocked the nation back in 2015.
The ex-miner was assaulted inside his property in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, and died about five months later.
South Yorkshire Police, which led the original investigation, said it hoped anyone with information about the "despicable" cold-case killing would come forward.
CCTV footage showed a mystery car outside the pensioner's home (grab)Detective inspector Matt Bolger said: "This was a despicable and vicious attack on an elderly man, which tragically resulted in him losing his life a number of months later. Despite the hard work of the investigations team over the last eight years, and a number of arrests, no-one has so far been charged over Tommy’s death.
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“I would like to once again make an appeal to anyone out there that may still hold information about what happened to come forward and speak to us. There must be people out there who know what happened to Tommy, and have yet to tell us what they know."
Police were called to Tommy's address in the Maltby district of the town on October 1, 2015, where they found the stricken pensioner with life-threatening injuries. Investigations found a safety deposit box holding £30,000 of his money had been snatched from his home.
He tragically died several months later, on February 23, 2016, in hospital. A coroner found the death was caused by injuries he suffered in the assault. Police arrested a number of people on suspicion of offenses including murder, robbery, and aggravated burglary, but no one was ever charged. CCTV footage unearthed later showed a mystery Saab 93 driving past Tommy's home, before doing a U-turn and staying in the area for 24 minutes.
In the weeks before he died, he tried to help police while he was drifting in and out of consciousness – and appeared to indicate that four people had been involved in the savage attack. An emotional moment on his hospital bed also saw him point out his Norfolk and Northumberland Fusillier’s Army badge, where he served his National Service. Speaking to the Mirror in 2016, his daughter Linda, 56, said: “We really thought he was going to improve and tell us who did this. The police had been in every week. They showed him a board with 12 items from his life. On it was his Norfolk and Northumberland Fusillier’s Army badge and he recognised it. The police officer said he felt like crying at that.”
DI Bolger said this week that anyone with information about the horrific killing should now let his officers know for the sake of Tommy's heartbroken family. He said: “I would urge them to think about Tommy’s family who have fought for eight years to find out what happened to him. They are desperate to know why someone would want to harm Tommy. This remains an active investigation with officers in regular contact with Tommy’s family. The whole team wants to give his family the answers they rightly deserve, to get some justice for their loved one."