A man who FaceTimed his ex-girlfriend while beating his own grandfather to death has been jailed for life. 

Jack Forde was under a supervision order after stabbing two random strangers when he attacked Christopher Martin, 74, at the home the two shared in New Cross, southeast London.

The 25-year-old denied murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. Prosecutors did not proceed with the murder trial.

Sentencing Judge Anthony Leonard KC said the injuries Forde inflicted were “truly horrific” as he sentenced him to life in prison with a minimum term of 10 years and five months.

The Old Bailey heard Forde went to live with his grandfather in spring 2021 after being released from prison following two knife attacks on strangers.

In the first incident, Forde stabbed a 27-year-old man after breaking into his home and picking up a knife.

He then got on a bus and stabbed a 79-year-old man in the head, leaving him needing up to 40 stitches.

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Forde was cleared of the offences by “reason of insanity” and handed a two-year supervision order requiring him to take medication, which he failed to do.

The court heard Forde was unstable, had epilepsy, drank heavily, and would occasionally think he was his sister.

The victim had a very close relationship with his grandfather, who took him in, gave him money and a new phone.

But Mr Martin would lock his bedroom door at night and would sleep with a knife under the pillow.

Days before the killing, Forde had been upset after Mr Martin helped the defendant’s pregnant girlfriend move to a new home.

At around 4am on 28 May, the defendant used the victim’s phone to call his partner via FaceTime video, where she witnessed some of the violence he inflicted on his grandfather.

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Family left with “broken hearts”

A post-mortem examination revealed he died from blunt force trauma to the head, chest and abdomen.

In a joint victim impact statement, Mr Martin’s family said: “Chris had always done whatever he could to help any of us out with whatever was needed.

“Chris was still in a phase of mourning after having unexpectedly lost his wife of 55 years to COVID some five months before.

“The horrific circumstances and the reality of this disgusting and most cowardly attack on a frail and vulnerable old man has left everyone with broken hearts.”

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