Man who stabbed stepfather to death jailed

Hall was jailed for more than 26 years following a trial

A man who stabbed his stepfather to death in an unexplained attack before terrorising the occupants of another house has been jailed.

Andrew Hall, 59, murdered Geoffrey Ives, 75, at his home in Heywood, Greater Manchester, on 29 January 2023 and then broke into another property.

Hall was jailed for more than 26 years following a trial at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court

Det Supt David Moores said "we will never really know what motivated Hall to attack Geoffrey on that night" and he had "kept reoffending in the local area causing a direct threat to the public".

Geoffrey Ives was stabbed four times in the neck

Mr Ives was found dead at his home in Hardfield Street, before detectives used CCTV to establish Hall had arrived there at about 22:00 BST, armed with two knives.

Later in the evening he was shown brushing blood off his face in an off licence.

Hall was arrested at a property in Middleton where he had breached a harassment and restraining order by breaking in through a window armed with two knives, including the same vegetable knife he used to kill Mr Ives.

He was tackled by one of the occupants, who was praised by police for his bravery as he "prevented further harm" to everybody else inside.

Under police questioning, Hall told them “I’m going to jail for life” and “I’ve done bad things".

He was found guilty of murder and aggravated burglary at a previous hearing and sentenced to 26 years seven months.