A man who was convicted of attempted murder has been sentenced to life imprisonment for murder after the victim died following the “horrific attack” in Great Yarmouth,
Russell Lambert, 55, suffered a severe brain injury and other multiple injuries, after being attacked at a property in Albion Road in Yarmouth on Saturday, February 1 February 2014.
Mr Lambert’s condition never improved and he continued to deteriorate until he died on January 5 2017, aged 59.
Clive Malone, 33, of Paget Road, Yarmouth, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the attempted murder of Mr Lambert in October 2014.
But Malone was subsequently charged with murder in January this year following a review by the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team.
Malone appeared at Norwich Crown Court today (Tuesday 7 July 2020) where he pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 24 years.
However, due to the time he has already served he will only be required to serve a further 18 years and 49 days.
Malone has visited brothers, Patrick, known as Tommy, and Russell Lambert - who had travelled up from London - to celebrate Tommy’s birthday in February 2014.
Malone had got into an argument with Mr Lambert about his laptop which they were using to play music on.
Later that evening Malone returned to the address wearing a scarf across his face.
Armed with a metal bar, he attacked both the brothers, who were asleep on separate sofas in the living room, before stealing the laptop and leaving.
Having left the brothers with injuries to their heads and bodies, Malone then offered the laptop for sale to a number of people.
The brothers were found the next morning by a friend with injuries so severe that an ambulance was called.
Mr Lambert remained in a poor condition in hospital with significant brain damage, paralysis and loss of sight until his death in 2017.
His family have issued the following statement: “To our Dad and brother. You will always be in our thoughts and our hearts. Your memory lives on in your remaining siblings. It took a while but now we finally have the result that you deserve. This day we will always celebrate in your honour. Taken too soon and greatly missed but you can now rest in peace.
”We love you xxx.”
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