A murderer has been sentenced to life in prison after stabbing a 77-year-old man multiple times.

Jacob Trussler, aged 37, of no fixed abode, murdered David Allen in his Elgar Road home on December 1 last year.

Today (June 13), Trussler was jailed for a minimum of 20 years at Reading Crown Court.

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Senior Investigating Officer said: “Today, Jacob Trussler has been held accountable and sentenced for the death of David Allen.”

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“My thoughts once again go out to David’s family and friends. This incident has had a devastating impact on them.

“As ever, we are committed to bring such offenders to justice and will tirelessly and robustly pursue those who seek to cause such harm in our society.”

His sentencing comes after a jury found Trussler guilty by unanimous verdict at the same court on May 27.

Trussler had denied murder, claiming he stabbed Mr Allen in self-defence after the 77-year-old allegedly confronted him with a knife.

Giving evidence at the trial, Trussler confessed to being a drug addict as he had taken cocaine and heroin for more than ten years.

He said: “I would never hurt him. I’m no angel, I’ve got a drug addiction, I accept responsibility for his death but I’m not a murderer and I don’t go round killing people in cold blood.

“I’ve got to live with all this, I’ve destroyed my family, I’ve destroyed everything, but I’m not a murderer.”

But the jury rejected this account after hearing how Mr Allen suffered three stab wounds, one which fatally cut Mr Allen 20cm deep according to the prosecutor.