A gambling addict taxi driver was filmed smirking at a bookies shortly after murdering one of his two elderly victims. Andrew Flood, from Southport, murdered Margaret Biddolph, 78, and Anne Leyland, 88, who also lived in the seaside town during a devastating four days of violence, which also included the robbery of another elderly woman.

All of his targets were previous customers who he drove during his stint as a taxi driver for Southport-based All Whites Taxis. Dad-of-four Flood was being chased for money by credit companies, bailiffs and his landlord when he strangled Ms Leyland on February 20, 2012.

Flood was seen on camera smiling outside the bookies’ shop after Ms Leyland on the day of the murder. His car was later seen a mile away from Ms Biddolph’s home. It is believed he killed her on the same day. Flood sobbed when he entered guilty pleas to two counts of murder and a single count of robbery for the “unspeakably wicked crimes”.

As part of a weekly series about Merseyside’s criminal history, the ECHO has taken a closer look at the case of Flood and the impact it had on the north Sefton seaside town.

Criminal proceedings against Flood heard how his family had “unavoidable” financial problems, owing just under £18,000 and with rent arrears piling up. Flood was “prone to telling lies” to colleagues on the taxis, including that one of his children had tried to take their own life, that his wife had left him and that he was having to care for three of their children on his own.

He had taken some time off work because of “personal problems” before he returned to work on February 11, 2012. Flood knew where his eventual targets lived because they had “entrusted their safety” to him to drive them to and from their homes.

His first target was a retired midwife, who called for a taxi on February 16. Flood was dispatched to collect her from her home, but two two days later she saw a figure approaching her back door. Before she could close and lock the door, Flood stepped in and asked: “Am I in the right house?”

He then pointed to her jewellery on her wrist and said: “I want them” before telling her: “Give us your money or I’m gonna kill your cat.” Flood left after taking £540 from the terrified pensioner, telling her as he departed: “I’m taking the key. Don’t call the police.”

He was later seen by his wife stashing the jewellery in a drawer but told her he found it in the back of his cab. On February 19, the day before the double murder, Flood’s landlord sent him a text asking for overdue rent.

Ms Leyland was found in the downstairs bedroom of her house on Birch Street. She had been strangled with the cord from her dressing gown she was wearing when she answered her door to Flood. Flood was captured on CCTV smiling as he left a Ladbrokes betting shop at 2.43pm.

His taxi was captured on CCTV a mile from Ms Biddolph’s house 25 minutes later. A medical expert found Ms Biddolph had been “probably strangled from behind” with a mobile phone charging wire.

But the killer was only found by police officers after he drunkenly went to Southport police station and tried to push stolen jewellery over the enquiry desk counter. He was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and made the confession to an officer that he had killed two women.

When he was told his family had been looking for him, he told an officer: “I won’t be seeing them for some time. I’ve done something silly.” When he had sobered up the following morning he gave police the two addresses and they made the grisly discovery of the bodies of the elderly ladies.

Flood broke down in tears as he admitted the offences. And even his lawyer, John McDermott KC, said it was an “extraordinary and difficult case to explain”. In talks with psychiatrists, Flood “found it difficult to accept or believe he could have done such a grievous act”.

The killer was said to have “amnesia” about the events, with his lawyer adding: “There is no simple or rational explanation for why a man of previous good character, a family man, has committed these crimes.” However, the court heard depression, drinking and desperation had all played a part.

Judge Clement Goldstone KC, the then Recorder of Liverpool, sentenced Flood to a minimum of 30 years in prison for his crimes. The judge said although Flood had debts and ultimately did not take anything from Ms Biddolph, there was an “irresistible inference” that he meant to rob his victims.

The judge said: “You wanted to rob them of money and jewellery to feed your dependency on alcohol and your addiction to gambling which had caused your family to suffer financial hardship.” He added: “It very much looks like for resistance to his plan, the victims paid with their lives.”

Judge Goldstone said he could not be satisfied the killings were “premeditated and planned”. He said given the robbery victim survived that he could not be satisfied the killing was planned in advance. He added if they were then a whole life term would have been set.

Speaking after sentencing, Anne Pearson, Ms Biddolph’s daughter, remembered her mum as a “lovely caring person who always thought of others before herself”. She said: “Her tragic death has devastated us as a family and she is greatly missed by all those who knew her.”

Ms Pearson added: “The sentencing sees justice done in the eyes of the law, but it will never bring our mother back to us. Her death is something we will never fully recover from.”

Det Chief Insp Neil Clark, who led the investigation team that tried to make sense of Flood’s crimes, said: “While the sentence will not bring Mrs Leyland or Mrs Biddolph back I hope it will bring some comfort to their families who have spent the last five months trying to deal with these tragedies.

“The families of Mrs Leyland and Mrs Biddolph have both suffered enormously and I hope that with this sentencing they can finally feel some sense of solace.”

Ensure our latest news and what’s on headlines always appear at the top of your Google search by making us a preferred source. Click here to activate or add us as a preferred source in your Google search settings.