GRANDAD ROBBED AS HE LAY DYING
THUG STOLE CRUCIFIX FROM AROUND PENSIONER’S NECK AFTER HE HAD HEART ATTACK
What you did was shameful, despicable and lacking in all humanity
Judge Mr Recorder Paul Reid
THE family of a devoted grandfather who was robbed of his valuables and left to die after suffering a fatal heart attack say they have been left broken by his ‘undignified death.’
Widower Charles Jackson, 73, was mugged for his wallet, phone and gold neck chain as he lay defenceless on a stairwell at Bury tram station, having collapsed on his way home.
The pensioner was rushed to hospital after being found by a passerby, but tragically, doctors were unable to identify him due to the fact his ID documents had been stolen in the mugging.
Mr Jackson, who had four children and seven grandchildren, passed away 13 hours later without staff knowing his name.
While doctors tried to piece together his identity, his frantic family who had not heard from him were still searching the area.
Police later arrested Danilo Furtado, 35, a crack cocaine addict with over 32 offences on his record for shoplifting, carrying a blade and unlawful wounding.
The Portuguese national and an accomplice sold Mr Jackson’s gold chain with crucifix to a Cash and Generator store for £100.
He also tried to use his victim’s bank card.
At Minshull Street Crown Court, Furtado, believed to be living in Whitefield at the time of the offence, was jailed for 20 months after admitting theft.
His victim’s daughter, Nichola Garton, spoke of her family’s ‘emotional devastation’ after her father’s tragic death.
“Our family is broken and we will never be at peace,’’ said Mrs Garton.
“Not only did dad die an undignified death by being robbed of his personal possessions, we were robbed of spending those last precious hours of life with him.
“We still feel guilty for not being by his side when he passed away.’’
She added: “Our dad could have potentially been semi-conscious when the first passerby was on the scene but he took the decision not to come to his aid, but to steal his gold cross and chain, his mobile phone and his wallet.
“There was no compassion, no humility and no conscience.
“His inhumane actions were undisputedly deplorable, but more importantly, the consequences of these actions resulted in our dad having no ID documents upon his person.
“When the emergency services were called, our dad was labelled with the term ‘unknown.’
“On arrival at the critical care unit he was ‘unknown.’ When he was having the blood tests, the X-rays, the brain scans, the life-preserving drugs, he was ‘unknown.’
“My brother only discovered the news of our dad’s passing when he became increasingly concerned about his whereabouts and decided to let himself into his flat, only to find two policemen waiting to deliver this painful news.
“The most heart-breaking and excruciating painful fear was that our dad passed away not just alone, but with the label ‘unknown.’ “The piece that glued us all together has been cruelly snatched from us. Dad was one of the most charitable people you could ever hope to meet.
“He did not deserve to die in such an undignified and cruel manner.’’
The court heard the 11.24pm theft happened on August 15 when Mr Jackson - described as ‘sprightly’ had just got off a tram at Bury Interchange.
Furtado’s lawyer Paul Bryning said: “This was an opportunistic offence. He believed the victim was just drunk and took advantage of that situation and stole the items for food and drugs.”
But Judge Mr Recorder Paul Reid QC told Furtado: “What you did was shameful, despicable and lacking in all humanity.
“Mr Jackson had collapsed and was plainly unwell, was bleeding from a head wound and instead of seeing if there was anything you could do to help you plundered his belongings. Any decent human being can only have contempt for your behaviour.
“Your actions prevented his family from spending those last precious moments with him.”