sandford and Goodridge
Adam Goodridge (R) has been jailed for 12 years for manslaughter after attacking Paul Sandford (L) because he thought he was a paedophile. South Yorkshire Police

A vigilante killed a man who was hooked up to a dialysis machine after mistakenly thinking his victim was a paedophile. In a "brutal" attack, Adam Goodridge punched Paul Sandford repeatedly in his home in Maltby, South Yorkshire.

Police told Sheffield Crown Court that the allegations against Sandford were "unfounded". Goodridge, of Huntington Way, Maltby, was convicted of manslaughter and jailed for 12 years following a two-week trial at on Thursday 15 December.

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The trial heard how Goodridge had entered Sandford's home in the early hours of Friday 30 October 2015 and threatened to kill Sandford, 38, unless he moved out of the area within a week.

Sanford, also known as Paul Dyson, suffered a bleed on the brain, a fractured eye socket and severe cuts and bruising to his face and hands in the attack.

Det Insp Simon Palmer said: "Goodridge then briefly left the room and even had the audacity to say that he would buy Mr Sandford's friends a beer, before returning to the room to continue his attack.

"He told Mr Sandford's friends to tell ambulance staff that he had fallen in the bath, but when emergency services arrived it was clear that his injuries has been caused by this unprovoked, cowardly and brutal attack."

Sandford died in hospital five days after the attack. A CCTV appeal was launched which included footage of Goodridge leaving the house and walking calmly down the street wearing a distinctive Help for Heroes hooded jumper.

Goodridge handed himself in to police a few days later where he was initially charged with murder.

Palmer added: "I am pleased with today's sentence, and that Goodridge will be incarcerated for a very long time for the brutal attack he carried out on Mr Sandford."

In a statement, Sandford's family said his death had "left a gaping hole in our hearts which is never going to heal". They said: "From the age of eight, Paul had suffered from ongoing health problems and the indescribable actions of Goodridge on that night have robbed us of the precious time we had left with him.

"We should be making lasting, happy memories with him right now, but instead we are left with the utter devastation of having our son, brother and friend taken away from us."