Image copyright Family photo

A man has been sentenced to a minimum of 16 years in prison for the "motiveless" murder of a 73-year-old.

Kyle Bowen, 29, attacked David Williams after knocking on his door at Danygraig Lane, near Pontwalby Viaduct in Glynneath, on 27 January.

A post-mortem examination found Mr Williams died of a blunt force injury after sustaining multiple fractures.

Bowen was told at Swansea Crown Court he would not be eligible for release until at least 2035.

CCTV footage showed Bowen buying a bottle of vodka before making his way to Mr Williams' home, but the court heard he was not drunk.

It is not known how he attacked Mr Williams, whose body was found by his wife.

"She saw her husband lying on the gravel outside the conservatory," John Hipkin QC said.

Emergency services attended but were not able to revive Mr Williams.

DNA matching Mr Williams' blood was found on Bowen's trousers, along with fingernail scrapings on Mr Williams' hand matching Bowen's DNA.

Bowen told police he suffered from mental health problems but did not know why he went to his victim's home that day and had been intending to kill himself, the court heard.

Mr Williams and his wife Pearl, 72, would have been celebrating their golden wedding anniversary next year.

'I cry every day'

In a victim impact statement, Mrs Williams said her "whole world" had been destroyed.

"You will never understand the hurt and pain you have caused me. You have made me a prisoner in my daughter's home, too afraid to leave the house.

"I cry every day, every morning and every night. You murdered my husband.

"I hope you will never have the opportunity to commit another savage act like this on any other person. You have no right to ever feel sorry for yourself."

Kirsty Wise, Mr Williams' only child, told the court her mother had been reduced to a "shadow of the woman she once was", and her father's death had put her plans to start a family on hold.

Defending, Christopher Clee QC said: "Kyle Bowen's stance remains that he cannot remember assaulting Mr Williams.

"We cannot put forward any reason for this senseless killing."

Sentencing Bowen to a minimum of 16 years - minus time already served - Judge Thomas QC described his actions as "senseless and brutal".

"I believe that your state of mind that day was such that anyone could have been your victim. You then left him dying for his wife to find."