THE FAMILY of a 93-year-old man who was tortured by his 'best friend' have paid tribute to their loved one after his murderer was sentenced to life.
Martin 'Mattie' Glynn was described as an 'absolute gentleman' who 'loved his trips home to Ireland'.
His killer, 40-year-old Samuel Michael Field, was told on Friday that he must serve a minimum prison term of 22 years before being eligible for parole.
"Mr Glynn was a kind, gentle, loyal man who was stripped of his independence by the cruel and calculated actions of Samuel Field who, by his own admission, described the pair as being best friends for nearly 20 years," said Detective Sergeant Megan Scotney of Northamptonshire Police.
'Irishman' conspiracy theory
Following an 11-day trial earlier this month, a jury took less than four hours to find Field guilty of murdering Mr Glynn.
The court heard that on September 19, 2024, Mr Glynn travelled by bus from his home in Kings Heath, Northampton, to Field's flat in Gold Street, Desborough — a two-hour journey he took at least once a week to see his friend.
However, on this occasion, Field was less than welcoming, fuelled by a conspiracy theory he had totally imagined in which Mr Glynn had betrayed him to an unknown 'Irishman'.
The court heard that Field's mental health had declined in the preceding months, with his paranoia in a heightened state.
When he didn't get the confession he wanted to support his imagined conspiracy theory, he tortured Mr Glynn in a prolonged and sustained attack for 10 hours.
Field carried out a brutal and sustained assault over 10 hours (Image: Northamptonshire Police)After punching, kicking and stomping on the elderly man's head, Field strangled him, fracturing a bone in his neck and leaving him with severe bruising and swelling to his face and body.
Footage from a hidden camera inside the flat showed Field continuing to walk around the property as though nothing had happened, while Mr Glynn's feet could be seen as he lay motionless on the floor.
More than 24 hours after the assault, Field finally called an ambulance and provided a full confession, prompting the call handler to alert police.
"Basically, he's been hit in the face a lot because they lied for 10 hours," he told a police call handler.
"I was trying to get the truth out of them and he was lying for 10 hours and I felt so betrayed because people can get in my home."
Camera footage shows Field casually walking around his home while Martin Glynn lies motionless on the floor after the attack (Image: Northamptonshire Police)When Field was arrested, Mr Glynn was found in the bathroom where he appeared confused as to how he had sustained the serious facial injuries.
He was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with multiple bleeds on the brain and a fractured neck.
Described as a quiet, soft-spoken and very independent man by his extended family, Mr Glynn sadly never recovered from his injuries and died three months later on St Stephen's Day.
Field was charged with murder but midway through his trial, he opted to represent himself and dismissed his defence counsel before choosing not to provide a defence.
'Upsetting to hear he suffered so much'
At Friday's sentencing hearing, Mr Glynn's family from Ireland paid tribute to a man they described as 'an inoffensive soul'.
"He lived a quiet, simple life and attended church regularly," they said.
"His faith was very important to him. He was very caring and was totally inoffensive and an absolute gentleman. He had a great sense of humour and a great interest in his extended family.
"Martin loved his trips home to Ireland and enjoyed spending time with family. He was a very gracious man — kind and generous to his family, who very much looked forward to his visits.
"He visited Galway regularly before his beloved sister passed away. We maintained that bond with Martin — visiting him regularly in Northampton.
"The impact of losing Martin has been very distressing for our family. Such evil bestowed on such a kind, gentle, caring, loving, giving, good humoured, inoffensive soul. It was very upsetting to hear he suffered so much.
"We wanted to share with you all today what a lovely man Mattie was, our fond memories of times spent together in Galway and Northampton, and the cruelty of him being taken away from our family in these circumstances."
DS Scotney added: "Although no sentence will ever be long enough or undo the unimaginable suffering Mr Glynn endured inside Field's flat, I hope today's sentence will offer some closure to what has been a very distressing and upsetting time for Mr Glynn's family."
Should Field ever be released on parole, he will remain on licence for the rest of his life.
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