A MAN who mercilessly beat a 65-year-old has been found guilty of murder.

Duncan Hearsey kicked and stamped on Alan Creasey’s head at least four times in the brutal attack in the victim’s home in Ingleside Crescent, Lancing

Hearsey’s clothes were found covered in the 65-year-old’s blood.

On the night of the killing, March 29 this year, Hearsey, 44, of Emerald Quay, Shoreham, had been thrown out of two pubs after threatening bar staff and customers and he smashed a kebab shop window.

A number of 999 calls about Hearsey’s violent and aggressive behaviour were made that evening – culminating in police officers visiting the victim’s home but missing Hearsey by minutes.

When the police left his home at 7.40pm they advised him to lock his doors.

Shortly after they left Hearsey returned and unleashed his brutal assault.

When officers returned at 9.10pm they found Creasey lying in a pool of his own blood.

He had at least 22 separate injuries on his body, pathologist Dr Robert Chapman told Duncan Hearsey’s murder trial at Lewes Crown Court, and he later died as a result of a brain injury.

The attack was so brutal that Mr Creasy’s right ear was severed.

He also had a fractured collarbone and nose as well as a variety of bruises.

Dr Chapman told the jury: “In my opinion there needed to be at least four separate impacts to the head, one to each side of the head, another to the nose and one to the inside and outside of the mouth.

“There was at least one impact to the neck and then another to the chest and collar bone.

“The injuries to both ears and resulting bruising and grazing could have resulted from kicking and stamping.

“In my experience punches do not often cause these types of injuries. There is no clear indication of the pattern of bruising such as from a shoe, but I conclude it was from a shod foot.

“That caused the severe underlying brain injury.”

Hearsey had gone to his home his victim’s home that night to try to retrieve a £40 debt for some gardening work he had carried out.

The murder trial was told that Hearsey was a well known trouble maker in the nearby pubs.

A barmaid said Hearsey had threatened to burn her house down just hours before he beat Mr Creasy to death.

Hearsey will be sentenced at Lewes Crown Court this morning.