Father and son jailed for their part in fatal West Bromwich robbery

Prolific burglar Paul Cooke was jailed for almost 30 years last September for murdering 64-year-old Ronald Smith at his home in West Bromwich in May 2015 - the day after he was released from prison.

He had stolen £600 and gold and left his victim bleeding on the floor before coolly locking the door of the Cottage Walk maisonette. Mr Smith was found dead at the bottom of his stairs a month later after neighbours contacted police.

Today Colin Cooke, 62, and his younger son, also Colin, 37, were both found guilty of helping an offender. Cooke senior was also convicted of conspiracy to rob and sentenced to seven years. Cooke junior was cleared of the same charge but jailed for 30 months for helping to cover his brother's tracks.

Convinced 35-year-old Paul Cooke did not act alone, detectives have vowed to continue their hunt for the other person believed to be involved in the savage attack. The victim was described as a private man who would not answer the door to strangers.

One witness recalled overhearing Paul Cooke and his father plotting to rob Mr Smith the day before the killing, while another told how Cooke Snr was sporting 'cat-like scratches' on his cheek, nose and forehead in the days after the killing.

The jury had heard how his father was a personal friend of the victim and a regular visitor to Mr Smith's maisonette and would have known he kept cash at the property. Judge Amjad Nawaz described his passing on of that information to his elder son as 'an act of betrayal'.

Both father and son harboured Paul Cooke afterwards by arranging a hotel room for him and finding him accommodation at addresses in Tipton as he tried to lie low in the aftermath of the murder.

In police interview, Cooke Jnr claimed to have dropped his brother near Perry Barr dog track on May 7 and 'never saw him again' but mobile phone analysis revealed the pair had been near the Metro Inn, Walsall, later that day and inquiries of staff revealed a booking in Cooke's name.

Detective Inspector Ian Iliffe, who led the police hunt, said: “Cooke Jnr’s witness statement included deliberate omissions and lies. He said he’d not seen Paul for several days and failed to disclose he’d arranged accommodation for him. His lies hindered our attempts to secure key evidence such a CCTV.

“Cooke Snr was a lifelong friend of Ronald Smith and was a regular visitor to his home. He knew how to gain access, knew the layout of the premises, the contents of the address and Ronald Smith’s habits.

“The victim kept his banking documents hidden behind a ‘secret’ decorative panel in the living room. Only people like Cooke - those who knew him well - would have known about that and it’s telling that it was disturbed during the robbery.

“They may not have murdered Mr Smith but they were party to the robbery during which he was killed – and justice has now caught up with them.”

Det Insp Iliffe said the murder case remained open.