A kind and gentle man met such violent death
He would meet brother twice a week for a drink
BILL Howard, 79, was a man of habit. Each morning he walked to a local shop to buy a newspaper and a few groceries.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays he met with his brother Jack for a catch up and a couple of pints.
They had always been close, growing up as two of four brothers in the family but when Bill was widowed at a young age and left to care for his young son alone, Jack, his family took extra care to include him.
Any wedding or birthday celebration they went to, they were sure to invite Bill along.
In return, Bill was thoughtful to his brother,
never missing a birthday or a meetup at the pub.
Twice a week, the brothers met on a church wall in Accrington, bumped fists and greeted each other as ‘Amigo’ before walking to a local pub together.
It was a habit the pair had enjoyed for many years, so when on August 28, Bill was not waiting on the wall, Jack
knew something was seriously wrong.
He called Lancashire Police who were worried enough to force entry to Bill’s St James’ Street flat.
The scene they were met with was shocking.
Bill was slumped on the sofa with multiple stab wounds and bruises to his head and body.
Injuries to his eyes suggested he had been tortured and accelerant poured on his body. His hands and arms were covered in defensive wounds, showing he had bravely tried to fight off his killer.
How had such a kind, and gentle man met such a violent death?
As Jack said: “Bill wouldn’t hurt a fly. I don’t think he had ever had a fight in his life.”
Officers opened a murder investigation, headed up by DCI Allen Davies, of Lancashire Police’s Force Major Investigations Team, to try to piece together what had happened.
A TV guide on the coffee table was open on August 25, suggesting that was Bill’s last day alive.
CCTV showed Bill walking to the shop for his newspaper before taking out £100 from a NatWest cash machine. He was never seen again.
At 6pm on August 25, John Swannack, a local drug addict, used Bill’s bank card to buy vodka and groceries.
Over the following days he made seven transactions with the card until it was declined on August 27. He had spent around £150.
Recognising Swannack from the CCTV, officers went to speak to him.
He insisted he had found the bank card in the street and used it, but the police were not convinced.
Search teams scoured the drains between Bill’s house and Swannack’s home in St Leger Street.
They found three bank cards belonging to Bill, David Jordan and Andrew Graham, along with Bill’s house keys and medicine bottles marked with Swannack’s name.
A footprint from Bill’s kitchen floor was matched to Swannack’s trainer,
Bill’s blood was found on a pair of jogging bottoms at Swannack’s flat, and Swannack’s DNA was found on Bill’s clothing.
The day after Bill died, Swannack pawned two gold rings, belonging to Bill, along with his mobile phone.
Swannack was arrested and charged with murder.
Police visited the homes of the two men whose bank cards were found in the drain and learned how Swannack had manipulated his way into their bank accounts.
In the summer of 2021 Swannack preyed on the elderly and vulnerable, building up a rapport to gain access to their finances.
Acting as the Good Samaritan, Swannack offered to help with shopping and household tasks before being given access to their bank cards and PIN numbers.
One of these men was David Jordan, 89, who had had a number of medical and mobility conditions.
Swannack formed a rela
tionship with Mr Jordan and was given keys to his home - as well as access to his bank cards to collect groceries.
During the pandemic, Mr Jordan received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the medical practice, asking him to take part in a trial of a new drug to boost immunity.
Swannack delivered the drugs, in glass vials, and Mr Jordan agreed to take them, but in the days that followed, he became unwell.
While he was unwell, Mr Jordan’s money, wallet and cash card were stolen by Swannack. He later admitted he had stolen £2,500 from the frail pensioner.
Andrew Graham was also taken in by Swannack. Mr Graham lived alone and had suffered a stroke leaving him infirm and reliant on others for help.
Swannack befriended him and got to know his daily routines. While Mr Graham slept, Swannack stole his wallet and helped himself to hundreds of pounds worth of foreign currency, which he cashed in at the Post Office.
Swannack pleaded guilty to murder and two counts of theft relating to Mr Jordan and Mr Graham.
Passing sentence, Judge Robert Altham said: “The puncture wounds to Mr Howard’s eyelids would have been excruciating.
“The injuries he suffered were horrific. There was gratuitous violence used to torture Mr Howard.”
He handed down a life sentence and said Swannack must serve at least 30 years behind bars.
Swannack will be 89 before he is eligible to apply for parole.