A REMORSELESS killer who murdered an innocent widower to fund his extravagant lifestyle is from Runcorn, the World can reveal.

Grinning Graham Clarke Smith (pictured) was jailed for life at Manchester Crown Court after being found guilty of stabbing to death air steward Gerald Shaw, 59, at his Stalybridge home.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said 26-year-old Smith lived in Chicester Close, Murdishaw, last January, only months before embarking on a violent robbing spree to fuel his fantasy footballer lifestyle while living in the Crumpsall area of the city.

When the World phoned his former home a man there declined to comment.

Smith was branded 'a prolific liar', by the detective who led the hunt to track him down, and would 'probably have killed again'.

The council worker told people he was a professional footballer then forged cheques, robbed a man at knifepoint and murdered Mr Shaw to fund the pretence.

In August last year, he stole £6,000 from his employer, Manchester City Council, to buy a car and flat but by November, his money was running out.

Posing as a rent boy in Manchester's Canal Street,he tricked his way into a 44-year-old man's car then robbed him of his car keys on an isolated industrial estate.

Smith then phoned police the next day pretending to be his victim calling off their search pretending it had been returned.

A week later, Mr Shaw failed to show up at work. When his worried supervisor left a message saying he would call round later, brazen Smith again pretended to be his victim and phoned to say he was unwell.

It was only when Mr Shaw's daughter went round the next day to check on him that Smith's horrific crime was discovered.

Posing as a prostitute, he had lured Mr Shaw, who lost his wife to cancer in 1990, home and stabbed him three times in the chest before fleeing with cash, cards and the father-of-two's Mercedes.

Police caught up with him enjoying an extravagant spending spree and found the first victim's car parked outside his flat. Mr Shaw's Mercedes was found burnt out.

Smith claimed in court he had been drugged and raped by Mr Shaw but the jury unanimously rejected his story and the judge, Mr Justice Beatson caged him for a minimum 20 years.