Police attending Martin Thornley’s house found “blood splatters, blood smeared walls, and the victim’s glasses on the floor”
Martin Thornley, of Parker Street in Warrington(Image: Cheshire police)
A man battered his 89-year-old dad with a hammer after rowing with him about the messy state of his room. Martin Thornley, 44, struck his elderly dad multiple times, leaving him covered in blood, with a fractured chest and a bleed on the brain.
The incident occurred on the night of May 31 this year. Thornley, who lived with his dad, penned a note stating: “I, Martin Thornley, will tidy up his bedroom in three days” after being told to clear up his empty vodka bottles.
He then picked up a hammer and used it to strike his dad several times, causing multiple head wounds, a brain bleed, and a fracture to the breastbone.
The attack was not discovered until the following day, when a neighbour noticed Mr Thornley Sr outside, clutching his chest, with blood on his head.
She called an ambulance, and paramedics noted the elderly man had “significant head injuries”. Mr Thornley Sr informed them he had been attacked with a hammer.
At Liverpool Crown Court on October 24, prosecutor Chris Taylor said: “The defendant (Martin Thornley Jr) was arrested at home at 10.58am. Blood and clothing was recovered from the defendant and CSI recovered the hammer, and that was subjected to forensic examination.
“Images from within the property showed significant blood splatters, blood smeared walls, and the victim’s glasses on the floor. There also appeared to be a lost tooth or fragment.”
Mr Thornley Sr was interviewed, but appeared “quite confused”, the court heard. He said he believed his son had hit him with the hammer “five to six times”, but Mr Taylor said: “It’s agreed on the evident that there were no more than two or three blows with the hammer, and the other blows were done with the fists or hands.”
Thornley, of Parker Street in Warrington, signed a note confessing to the attack, adding: “I believe my autism may have played a part.” He pleaded guilty to assault causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
The victim’s daughter, and Thornley’s sister, Lorraine Bird, said: “In hospital my dad believed he was seeing Martin standing in the car park and felt afraid of the idea of seeing him again.
“Having solely raised Martin for 30 years, done everything to care for him, he was devastated by the fact that Martin had done this. He spent a lot of time agonising over why this happened, was it his fault, could he have changed things?”
She said that following the attack, her dad had gone into a nursing home, and she was having to sort out 24-hour care for him.
She said: “My dad was incredibly independent. He went out daily into Warrington. I believe he kept going as long as he did for Martin. Residential care is difficult for him as he can’t live independently. He can’t see the risks as he often believes he is younger and fitter than he really is.
“This incident has been absolutely life-changing for him. Having to the deal with the fact that his own son did this to him when he dedicated his whole life to him is awful.”
It was the second time Thornley had attacked his dad, as the court heard the 44-year-old had punched Mr Thornley Sr and caused him to fall down the stairs the previous year, leaving the elderly man abandoned on the floor.
Carmel Wilde, defending, said: “This is an incredibly sad case, a breakup of what seemed to be a close relationship. One only has to look at the defendant in the docks to gain a picture of the type of sorrowful and pathetic character that he is. Being in prison for the first time in his life has made him realise that he now truly is on his own, and he realised that’s his own doing, and that’s the nature of the punishment he will have to deal with.
“He feels isolated. He has no visitors, no calls, no social skills to speak to anyone. The only person he did have in his life was his father. The very person he has harmed was the person who had cared for him for 30 years.”
She said Thornley had neurodiverse issues, autism and depression, and was looked after by his dad. She said: “He expressed remorse throughout the pre-sentence report and in an interview became visibly tearful when informed of his father’s injuries.”
Thornley appeared again at Liverpool Crown Court today, November 7, for sentence. Judge Ian Harris said: “The consequences of your violence have affected your sister and father’s lives. Your father now has to live full-time in a nursing home.
“Abuse of power increases the seriousness of your situation. Added factors are the vulnerability of your father, given his age, and your previous violence against him
“On the facts of this case and the completely unprovoked violence used, in my judgement you pose a significant high risk of harm to your father.
“The nature of the risk is in the context of domestic violence, causing physical and psychological injuries. You have exhibited violent behaviours. You have temper control issues, and you have exhibited domestic abuse. You have a capacity for sudden violence, particularly in emotionally charged domestic situations, and a limited ability to manage conflict without resorting to harm.”
He accepted Thornley’s disabilities had affected his ability to make rational choices. He sentenced the 44-year-old to four years and eight months in prison, and made a restraining order banning him from contacting his dad.