Owen Blades, 27, sentenced to life for murder

Update 12.45pm, 15 May 

Today (Thursday, 15 May) Owen Blades has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 35 years. 

The 27-year-old’s sentence is for the life he took from John Connolly. He was 69 when he died, and would have celebrated his 70th birthday with family in February. 

But John never got the chance to bring in another year with his loved ones. This is because Blades, of no fixed address, murdered him in his own home, a place which should have been John’s safety and sanctuary. This attack happened during a day of violence which saw Blades assault another man, bring a knife out in public, and carry out a burglary and another theft on 13 June last year.

Blades was a stranger, and there was no reason for him to target John. 

We told you about Blades when he pleaded guilty on 3 January, and he is being given no more coverage by us; today, we are focussing on John, a man loved deeply by his family. They have shared a joint statement about and the impact the senseless tragedy of losing the man they loved has had on them and others.

John's family said: “Today, justice has been served on Owen Blades. Our brother John did not deserve to die in the cruel the way he did. He was in his own home; that was supposed to be his safe space, anyone should feel safe in their own home, and no one has the right to invade it like that. We can’t imagine how terrified he would have been.

“On 2 February this year, John would have been 70. Instead of celebrating his birthday, we had to take flowers to his grave. We never envisaged that we would be doing this.

“Hopefully, now we as a family can begin to try and move forward and grieve; this has left the biggest hole in our hearts that will never be filled. John will be forever in our thoughts, hearts and prayers.”

Detective Chief Inspector Jen Lovatt led the investigation from Lincolnshire Police and the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU).

She said: “There are never any words we can share with a family to make up for what they have endured, so we do the next thing in our power, and that is everything possible to ensure that the person responsible for this tragedy is brought to justice. This was a complex investigation because sadly, John was not found for five days until after he had been killed, and in my view that fact is all the more terrible because the man who did it was already behind bars by then.

"Blades knew what he had done. He knew that he had stabbed and killed John on 13 June, but sat in his prison cell after having been swiftly arrested for an assault that same day, and said nothing. Our investigators picked apart his movements, CCTV footage, and forensics examinations to link him to John’s murder, and I am grateful to the team of officers and staff who worked hard to help us get to this point.

"I am thankful that John’s family were spared the ordeal of a trial, although I feel for them at having that anticipation right up until it was due to start because Blades still refused to accept his guilt until that last possible moment. They have conducted themselves with dignity and strength throughout this whole investigation and during the court process, and I pay tribute to their poise in the face of such tragedy.

"We also need to think about the other victims of Blades’ crimes, who will have also been traumatised by his actions, including the man he stabbed at Merkur Slots in the city centre, and the victims of the aggravated burglary in the same street he killed John. Today, I hope they can all start to move forward.”

Blades' sentencing today was conducted at Lincoln Magistrates' Court, and included a number of offences.

He was sentenced to 32 years and 3 months for murder.

He also received a sentence of six years and nine months for GBH at Merkur Slots; two years for the aggravated burglary; two months for the theft from Tesco; and two years and three months for possession of a offensive weapon.

These will run concurrently.

Below is a picture of John. 

Original release

The man charged with the murder of 69-year-old John Connolly has today (Friday, 3 January) pleaded guilty at a hearing at Lincoln Crown Court.

Owen Blades, 27, of Tennyson Street, Gainsborough, was due to stand trial on 2 January after initially entering a not guilty plea, but changed it at a hearing today. 

He has now admitted killing John in his home at Portland Street, Lincoln, on 13 June 2024.

John’s body was found by family on Tuesday, 18 June who called the Force Control Room. Officers then attended and it was confirmed he was dead.

Blades, who had been arrested on 13 June and charged with a GBH which had taken place at Merkur Slots in Lincoln that same day, was on remand while our investigation started. He was quickly identified as a suspect.

Following further investigations, he was charged with murder on 25 June.

During today’s hearing, Blades also pleaded guilty to a burglary in Portland Street, Lincoln, possession of a knife in public place, and theft of food from Tesco.

All of these incidents took place on 13 June.

Blades will now be sentenced on 9 January, and was told by the court today that he should expect to receive a life sentence.

Below is Owen Blades: