Manchester Crown Court sentenced 22-year-old Liam O’Pray (pictured left) to life in prison with a minimum term of 28 years for the murder of Rico Burton, the cousin of world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury. The fatal incident occurred during a violent brawl outside a bar in Altrincham’s Goose Green area.
During the trial, the jury learned that trouble erupted between O’Pray’s friends and Mr. Burton’s family and friends, leading to a confrontation at the King Pong bar at 3am. O’Pray, armed with a lock knife, delivered a single, deadly blow to Mr. Burton’s neck, almost completely dividing a major artery and causing a fatal haemorrhage.
Following the verdict, Judge Conrad commended the quick response of the police officers who arrived at the scene and managed to save the life of another injured man, Mr. Reilly. O’Pray had a prior conviction for carrying a knife in public before committing the murder, raising concerns about knife crime and its prevention.
In the aftermath of this tragic incident, Sarah Reilly, the mother of the teenage victim, expressed gratitude to the police and pledged to campaign against knife crime along with the affected families. She stressed the urgency of stopping such incidents, emphasising the need for stricter enforcement of existing laws and legislation surrounding knife possession.
