Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Monday 7th April 2025 at 14:15hrs
A 39-year-old man, Leigh Smith of Binyon Court, Lancaster, has been sentenced to life imprisonment today (Monday, April 7th) at Preston Crown Court for the murder of 49-year-old Keith Thompson in Heysham.
Smith will serve a minimum of 22 years and 177 days before being considered for parole.
Smith had initially denied both the murder of Mr Thompson and an earlier assault causing actual bodily harm on another individual.
However, on the seventh day of his trial, he pleaded guilty to both offences. He also received a concurrent sentence of 36 weeks for the separate assault.
The tragic incident unfolded in the early hours of Saturday, September 28th, 2024, when police were called to reports of an assault off Heysham Road, near the Bay Medical Centre in Heysham.
Upon arrival, officers found Mr Thompson unresponsive, slumped against a basement wall. Despite the efforts of paramedics and hospital staff, Mr Thompson was sadly pronounced dead at 5:55 am that morning.
A subsequent postmortem examination revealed that Mr Thompson’s death was caused by blunt force trauma to the head.
Investigations revealed that Smith had subjected Mr Thompson to a violent assault, involving repeated kicking, hitting, and punching.
The court heard harrowing victim impact statements from Mr Thompson’s family.
His mother, Nancy, expressed her devastation, stating, “When I first found out what happened to Keith I didn’t want to live anymore, just so I could be with him… I am devastated and utterly heartbroken. That man has taken away such a loving Son.”
Mr Thompson’s daughter, Alisha, spoke of the lasting impact of her father’s murder:
“I just can’t stop thinking of my Dad suffering at the hands of that monster who killed him. My future children now won’t have a Grandad. He murdered my Dad with his hands and feet and this will stay with me for the rest of my life. Rest easy Dad, I love you and I miss you.”
Detective Chief Inspector John McNamara, of the Force Major Investigation Team, commented on the sentencing, saying,
“My thoughts today are with Keith’s devastated family and friends at this incredibly upsetting time. When Smith attacked Keith on the morning of his death, he did so with prolonged and extreme violence.”
DCI McNamara further added, “Smith assaulted another victim prior to Keith which was both random and unprovoked.
His behaviour continued to escalate culminating in the vicious attack on Keith.
While no sentence can ever make up for the taking of a life, I do hope Keith’s family can gain some degree of closure and I hope they feel some relief knowing that Smith will be in prison for a considerable length of his life.
He will then have to convince the Parole Board that he poses no risk to the public before he is ever released.”
The sentencing brings to a close a deeply distressing case that has left a family heartbroken and a community in shock.
Keith Thompson is remembered by his loved ones as a loving son and father.
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