Pair were 'cold-blooded and ruthless'

Giving his judgement on the case, Mr Justice Field said Rattigan, of Canada Grove, Bognor, and Wyatt, of South Terrace, Littlehampton, had been criminal associates for around four months when they attacked profoundly deaf Mrs Tizard in December 1998.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Aug 2008, 17:24 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 17:43 BST

In that time, they had committed 'a number of burglaries and thefts' and had just been released from police custody on the day of the murder.

The judge said they broke into Mrs Tizard's flat, but that she disturbed them while they were looking for money. They then beat her and tied her up, using a vest as a ligature around her neck, which was so tight it eventually caused her death.

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At their trial, each man blamed the other for the pensioner's death '“ but the jury found they had both been equally responsible for the murder.

The judge described how the men had left Mrs Tizard to die alone in the flat: "Wyatt testified that she was still alive but gurgling when they left. Her death by strangulation would have been an agonising one. Her murder was truly horrific."

He added: "While I am prepared to proceed on the basis that neither intended Mrs Tizard should die, they both must have realised that, having beaten her and applied the ligature, there was a very high risk of death after they had left the premises.

"While they did not enter the flat with the intention of killing the occupant or inflicting grievous bodily harm on her, the attack on Mrs Tizard, particularly the application of the ligature, was cold-bloodedly ruthless."

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He said that, although Rattigan was only 21 at the time of the murder, he was the 'stronger character', bringing a malign influence to bear on Wyatt, who was then 28.

He added the pair's conduct had not been 'sufficiently exceptional' to justify any reduction in their minimum jail term, despite their good progress in prison.

The judge did, however, rule that the 11 months Wyatt and Rattigan served on remand before being sentenced will count towards their minimum jail terms. The ruling means they can apply for parole in early 2017.

However, they will only then be freed if they can convince the Parole Board it is safe to do so. When released, they will remain on perpetual 'life licence', subject to prison recall if they put a foot wrong.

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