HULL MAN JAILED FOR BRUTAL MURDER OF PENSIONER JOAN CHARLTON
In the early hours of June 7, 2009, Robert Tozer committed a violent break-in at the home of pensioner Joan Charlton by smashing a window.He then forced her from her bed into a chair inside her living room and launched a brutal assault.
Tozer repeatedly hit her around the head with a bottle, then punched and kicked her until she revealed where her money was kept.
When she attempted to call for assistance, he disabled her phone by disconnecting it.
Having previously been released from jail for assaulting a man with a pool cue, Tozer continued his savage attack, even smashing a broken bottle to cause further harm.
He also threw food at her as she lay injured on the floor, breaking every bone in her face.
Later, he took a wicker ornament from the wall, placed it on her, and set her on fire.
In police interviews, Tozer admitted that he was aware she was still alive after he set her ablaze; he had also disconnected the smoke alarm before leaving with £360 stolen from her home.
Afterwards, he used the stolen money to buy clothes at a shopping centre and visited a phone shop, also with the stolen funds.
Following his arrest, Tozer showed no remorse and declined to explain his actions.
He pleaded guilty to the charge of murder in court at Hull Crown.
Despite the incident occurring ten years earlier, he is not eligible for parole until at least 2031.
At the time of the attack, he was 30 years old and had only recently been released from prison for a prior assault.
The court proceedings highlighted the horrific extent of the violence and callousness involved, with police and forensic teams responding thoroughly.
Judge Michael Mettyear expressed shock at the severity of the violence as he sentenced Tozer for his crimes, emphasizing the brutality of the case.
The incident attracted significant media and community attention because of its violence and the impact on local residents.
