Terence McCormack, a former committee member of Illingworth Liberal Club, Halifax, was set alight and punched unconscious following a drinking session with two men who befriended him.

He lay wounded in his home for two days before he was found.
Judge Jonathan Durham QC told Steven Badhams, 38, and 20-year-old Scott Donohue: "It was despicable. You beat up a vulnerable, isolated, infirm man in his home.

"You both punched him so hard he was rendered unconscious. You have destroyed that man's life." The pair pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on 50-year-old Mr McCormack.

Bradford Crown Court heard the offence occurred on May 17.

Badhams, of Claremount Road, Boothtown, Halifax, and Donohue, of Furness Grove, Illingworth, Halifax, befriended Mr McCormack and invited themselves to his house to drink and take drugs.

Some friends visited Mr McCormack while Badhams and Donohue were there. They thought Mr McCormack seemed frightened so they phoned his sister who contacted the police.

When officers arrived, Mr McCormack said he was happy for the men to stay but shortly afterwards the pair attacked him.

Ewan McLaughlan, prosecuting at Bradford Crown Court, said: "Donohue lit an aerosol on the gas fire and used it to light the complainant's trouser leg." He then set fire to Mr McCormack's hair.

Badhams and Donohue repeatedly punched Mr McCormack, who is paralysed on his right side.

"He fell to the floor and lost consciousness," said Mr McLaughlan.
Mr McCormack suffered a broken cheekbone, a broken nose, a black eye, bruising and singed hair.

Stephen Wood, for Badhams, said: "Individual roles are not important – this was a joint offence so each man must bear responsibility for what the other has done."

Jayne Beckett, for Donohue, said: "This was a horrible offence."

Judge Durham Hall jailed Badhams for three years and Donohue for two years and nine months.