Four men have been jailed today (Tuesday 16th January) for a total of more than 85 years for killing John Hutchinson in Blackpool in a revenge attack.
Police were called around 6.50 p.m. on Monday 10th April to a report of an aggravated burglary at an address in Scorton Avenue where a group of men, carrying a hammer, metal bar and a wooden pole, had entered a flat and assaulted a man before making off from the scene.
Police attended the incident and spoke with the 44-year-old victim, John Hutchinson (pictured below).
At around 9.10 p.m. on the same day Police were called by the ambulance service to the same address, where Mr Hutchinson had suffered a suspected cardiac arrest. He was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital for treatment but sadly later died.
Following a Home Office post-mortem examination, it was established he had died from a ruptured spleen which had caused fatal internal bleeding. The bleeding had been caused by a hammer blow which had struck with considerable force and had fractured a rib and perforated the spleen.
The assault on Mr Hutchinson was a revenge attack after he and another man stole a large quantity of drugs earlier the same day from the home address of a man called Daniel Cunningham.
After an investigation by the Force Major Investigation Team four men were arrested and charged.
After a trial at Preston Crown Court, they were unanimously convicted by a jury.
They were sentenced at Preston Crown Court today (Tuesday 16th January).
- Daniel Cunningham (16/11/89) Tarnbrook Drive, Blackpool was found guilty of manslaughter. He was sentenced to 18 years for this offence and six years concurrent and two years consecutive for drug offences.
- Lee Clarke (16/03/90) Greenall Court, Prescot, Merseyside was found guilty of murder. He was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 27 years. He was also given a nine-year concurrent sentence for drug offences.
- David Bond (28/12/89), Oaklands Avenue, Liverpool was found guilty of murder. He was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 24 years. He was also jailed for six months concurrent for drug offences.
- Darren McCabe (07/04/76) Warwick Road, Blackpool was convicted of manslaughter. He was jailed for 16 years.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fallows, of the Force Major Investigation Team (FMIT) said: “First and foremost my thoughts today are with John Hutchinson’s family and friends who lost a loved one in brutal circumstances. I welcome these sentences and I hope that they provide some sense that justice has been served.”
