Leigh canal: Boy, 16, guilty of murdering stabbed man
- Published
A 16-year-old boy has been found guilty of murdering a "vulnerable" man who was stabbed and pushed into a canal.
Scott Anderton, 33, was found dead in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in Leigh on 25 March.
A 17-year-old boy who was also on trial was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter. Neither can be named for legal reasons.
Another teenager, Liam Bailey, 18, of Diamond Street, Leigh, had previously admitted Mr Anderton's murder.
The trio were cleared at Manchester Crown Court of attempting to rob Mr Anderton, which they had all denied.
A post-mortem examination showed Mr Anderton had suffered 35 stab wounds from the top of his head to his shins.
The court heard Mr Anderton was seen on CCTV walking through Leigh town centre at about 04:00 GMT carrying a plastic bag and wearing only one shoe.
Michael Brady QC, prosecuting, said he had been targeted because he was "vulnerable and alone" and had the "tragic misfortune" to run into the teenagers and Bailey near King Street.
They were seen on CCTV with him by the canal at 04:30 and the footage then showed ripples as Mr Anderton entered the water.
The court heard the 17-year-old told police Bailey had attacked Mr Anderton with a machete and Bailey and the 16-year-old had then pushed him into the canal.
Mr Brady said the 17-year-old had told police he had seen Mr Anderton swim to the other side of the canal "gasping for air" and went to check he was alright and he thought he heard him say "I'm dying, I'm dying".
The court heard the nature of some of Mr Anderton's wounds indicated he had tried to protect himself by raising his hands, arms and legs, and, in the opinion of a pathologist, were "equally consistent with blows being delivered to prevent him getting out of the canal".
The cause of death given was multiple sharp force injuries with blunt force trauma to the head and terminal drowning.
Mark Ford QC, representing Bailey, told the jury his client had taken a tranquilizer and had used cannabis before the chance meeting with Mr Anderton and his judgment had been "impaired as a consequence".
The trio are due to be sentenced on 12 November.
- 1 September 2021
