Man convicted of murdering elderly couple

Thursday 16 February 2012 12:54 EST

A man has been found guilty of murdering an elderly couple in a "brutal and savage" attack at their home.

Ireneusz Bartnowski, 22, attacked Guiseppe and Caterina Massaro at their home in Wolverhampton in April last year.

He had denied two counts of murder but was convicted by a jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Mr Massaro, 80, and his wife, 77, were battered with a claw hammer and stabbed.

Their bodies were found on their bedroom floor by their 24-year-old granddaughter.

A jury of six men and six women took just over six hours to convict Bartnowski.

Bartnowski was sentenced to life with a minimum tariff of 34 years.

Mr Justice MacDuff told Bartnowski: "You lack all humanity, you are evil beyond belief.

"You have told this court breathtaking lies in an attempt to escape justice. But you did not fool this jury.

"This was a cold-blooded murder. Yours was an intention to kill. You knew you had no intention but to end their lives."

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