SPECIAL REPORT: 'Whoever killed my dad knew him' say the sons of Northampton murder victim

David Brickwood’s life was brutally cut short at his home in Lindsay Avenue in the early hours of September 26, 2015.

An unknown number of raiders had pushed open a downstairs window before bursting into the pensioner’s bedroom and delivering a brutal assault.

At an inquest yesterday, deputy coroner for Northamptonshire, Hassan Shah, ruled that Mr Brickwood was “unlawfully killed” – though to this day no-one has ever been charged with the murder.

Giving evidence at County Hall, Mr Brickwood’s sons Dale, 48, and Nathan, 46, both said their father’s killers must have known he kept bundles of cash in the house.

His mattress was found upturned as if a frantic search had taken place – yet the attackers had left a 50-inch television in the front room.

The siblings believe those responsible must have also known son Dale – who would stay over at his dad’s house every other weekend – was not there that night.

Speaking to the Chronicle & Echo Nathan - a locksmith who lives in Grange Road, Eastfield - said they must have had inside information.

He said: “What we believe is the people who organised it would have known our father.

“The people that carried it out may have just been acting on orders.”

The inquest heard shocking details of the last few moments of David Brickwood’s life.

Officers called to the scene shortly after 2am described seeing puddles of blood on the landing, in the bedroom, the bathroom, on the front door handle, in the kitchen and the lounge.

Mr Brickwood – who was known to be “fit as a fiddle” according to Dale – had somehow manage to stumble downstairs and dial 999.

He could only say the words “police” to the call operator, who dispatched officers to the scene.

The inquest then heard how the grandfather-of-10 – known to be a man of routine who distrusted banks – called out of the front bay window for help afterwards.

He died from a mixture of blunt trauma and stab wounds.

But his three sons have always maintained their father was a pillar of the Abington community.

He was incapable of making enemies, they say, yet the attackers left the elderly man with 35 individual wounds.

A man who had touched so many lives and would often lend any help he could to people in the neighbourhood bled to death in his underwear on the living room floor.

“These people that have done this are the lowest of the low,” said youngest son Nathan.

“These people should not be out there in the streets.

“If they had gone in there and tied him up and robbed him, we could deal with that.

“To go in there and just torture someone for their money.

“They are just complete scumbags.”

Though it has now been 20 months since David Brickwood’s death the family have vowed never to give up hope.

Dale, added: “I just want the people responsible for this to be brought to justice. I won’t stop until we get that.”