this was kept quiet by the police
Jailed, phone robbery gang who drowned man in Manchester canal
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Manchester Crown Court heard that the gang looked for victims in a ‘dark and dangerous’ area by the Rochdale canal where gay men look for sex.
An evil gang of robbers who pushed a man into a canal and left him to die during a violent city centre mugging spree have been jailed.
Manchester Crown Court heard that the gang looked for victims in a ‘dark and dangerous’ area by the Rochdale canal where gay men look for sex.
Simon Brass, 40, from Salford, drowned after being pushed off the towpath and into the Water beneath Aytoun Street, in the early hours of June 5.
The court heard it was likely he knew of the threat of robbery in the dark, secluded area and so hid his phone in his sock, where it was found when his body was discovered four days later.
The failure to find the phone ‘frustrated’ Paul Creedy, Kieron Murray, Leah Garner, Jack Smith, and a 15-year-old boy who can’t be identified for legal reasons.
Mr Brass was heard saying ‘I can’t swim, I can’t swim’, after the gang took their revenge.
In a disturbing twist, the court heard that Mr Brass was the second man who the robbers had pushed into the canal that night, although the earlier victim managed to get of the water, despite Creedy stamping on his fingers as he tried to drag his way out. An hour-and-a-half before killing Mr Brass, Creedy and Murray had also attempted to rob another man at the Piccadilly underpass who managed to escape when three men came to his aid.
Murray and Creedy were then joined by the rest of the gang, and they all tried to rob yet another man, kicking him unconscious and leaving him needing hospital treatment for cuts and swelling.
The gang continued to roam between Dale Street, Piccadilly bus station and Canal Street. CCTV captured Mr Brass ‘walking to his death’ under the Aytoun Street bridge at just before 2.50am, Mark Kellett, prosecuting, told the court.
Two minutes later the gang were seen walking ‘nonchalantly’ away only to rob another man of an iPhone 4 at the underpass. They then tried to sell the phone in local takeaways before being arrested.
Creedy, 20 of Heathcote Road, Gorton , who played ‘a major role’ in the spree, has been jailed for 10 years with a licence period extended by three years on his release, after admitting manslaughter and conspiracy to commit robbery. Creedy, who smirked throughout the hearing, was on bail for drugs offences at the time of killing.
Dad-of-two Murray, 22, of Eastern Bypass, Openshaw , who stole from a cabbie at knifepoint three days after the killing, admitted manslaughter and conspiracy to commit robbery and has been jailed for 10 years with an extended licence period of three years.
Smith, 19, of Lawnhurst Avenue, Wythenshawe , who also has a previous conviction for robbery, boasted to a pal that he didn’t help Mr Brass because ‘I wasn’t getting wet’, adding, ‘the guy got murdered for an iPhone...it wasn’t even an iPhone 4’. He was branded ‘callous in the ‘extreme’ by Judge Clement Goldstone QC as he was jailed for nine years after admitting manslaughter and attempted robbery.
Garner, 21, of Stockport Road, Levenshulme , attempted to rob another victim two weeks after Mr Brass’s death. She was branded a ‘bully and a coward’ as she was locked up for 10 years after admitting manslaughter and attempted robbery.
The 15-year-old boy, on bail for arson and drugs offences at the time of the killing, was described as ‘easily led’. He admitted robbery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and manslaughter, and was locked up for five years and eight months.