A violent thug who was jailed for the savage murder of a disabled pensioner smirked as judges added nearly seven years to his minimum jail term.

Jordan Davidson, 26, of brutally murdered 67-year-old Nicholas Churton in his Wrexham flat, attacking him with a hammer and machete.

Mr Churton, a retired former restaurant owner in Rossett, was found dead in his one-bedroom flat in Crescent Close, Caia Park, in March last year.

Davidson, who had embarked a spree of violent crime around North Wales, was jailed for life in December with at least 23 years and four months to serve.

The drug user had pleaded guilty to a string of serious offences, including murder, grievous bodily harm and two robberies, at Mold Crown Court last year.

He was back before a court today, flanked by heavily armoured prison guards, as judges ruled his sentence “unduly lenient”.

Watching via a video link from Manchester Prison, the killer smirked as Lady Justice Rafferty upped his punishment to 30 years.

Had the previous minimum term stood, the judge said Davidson would have effectively got off unpunished for the other offences.

The court heard Davidson’s killing of Mr Churton was aggravated by the fact he had used two different weapons.

The victim was “extremely vulnerable” and attacked with “extreme violence” in his own home.

Davidson, of Wrexham, was on drugs at the time and subject to licence and bail.

And it came amid a “spree of serious and violent offending”, including the use of significant violence and weapons.

His only mitigation was that he pleaded guilty, had no previous convictions for anything as serious, and he suffered from a mental disorder.

The case reached court following a reference by the Solicitor General, Robert Buckland QC MP, on the grounds that the sentence was too soft.

Increasing the term, Lady Justice Rafferty told the Court of Appeal that the other offences would have justified a sentence of 16 years by themselves.

The minimum term which the judge, Mr Justice Clive Lewis, imposed at the crown court was “far too low”, she said.

“The overall minimum term had to be increased significantly so as to mark the total offending,” she said.

“We quash the minimum term and substitute for it a term of 30 years.”

Davidson will only be freed after serving his minimum term if the Parole Board is convinced he is no longer a public danger.

Speaking after the hearing the Solicitor General said: “Davidson is an extremely violent individual and his crimes deserved tougher punishment.

“His actions resulted in the tragic death of a vulnerable man and have had an impact on numerous people’s lives.

“I am pleased the Court has now seen fit to increase the prison term.”