A HITMAN who agreed to kill a pensioner in a row over a will - but failed - has been jailed for 17 years.

Flash Ashley Day ordered the contract killing of his stepfather so he would inherit his childhood home. He has been jailed for 25 years.

Day, 46, hired military-obsessed Hynes, from Lawford, to murder pensioner John Sales at his home in Hythe Hill, Colchester.

Despite being stabbed repeatedly, Mr Sales miraculously survived after staggering through his house to the phone to call an ambulance.

Greedy Day, of Rose Allen Avenue, Colchester, was, and still is, a beneficiary in Mr Sales’s will but grew concerned he would lose out on cash.

Mr Sales planned to sell the home which had originally belonged to Day’s mother, Josephine and move to Mersea.

To get his hands on the money, Day concocted a plan for Hynes to kill Mr Sales, even telling him where and when to do it, Hynes tried to fulfill the contract and stabbed Mr Sales repeatedly with a knife in his garden in November 2015 after pretending he was there to look for a football - and even went back for a second attempt at murdering him after the victim challenged him.

Day, who changed his name by deed poll to Flash after criminal proceedings against him began, was jail for 25 years after being found guilty of conspiracy to murder following a trial.

Passing sentence at Chelmsford Crown Court Judge Charles Gratwicke said: “You were at the forefront of this conspiracy.

“It was your plan brought about by your greed.

“You knew exactly what was going on throughout and even made sure you were at college in Chelmsford to give yourself an alibi at the time of the attack.

“You cannot feel anything but revolted for what was done to him all because of you wanting to safeguard your inheritance.”

Hynes, of Long Road, Lawford, was sentenced to 17 years and three months in jail for attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder after admitting both charges.

Judge Gratwicke said: “You tried to kill him not because you disliked him, not because he had done anything wrong to you, but because you wanted him dead.

“You left him bleeding and helpless in the dark - he was not even someone you knew.

“This was a brutal, frenzied attack and you showed no mercy.

“He called out to you asking what he had done wrong and your response was to come back and restart the attack.”

A teenage girl from Colchester admitted perverting the course of justice by giving Hynes a false alibi during two separate police interviews.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, avoided jail.

She was give a 12-month rehabilitation order, with a three month curfew and supervision along with 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirement throughout the year.

Judge Gratwicke admitted he had been “merciful” towards her.

After sentencing he told her: “You should think yourself lucky.”

Scott Moffat, 50, of Colchester Road, Manningtree, was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder but was later cleared of any involvement in the attack.