Murder of Garry Newlove

{{unreferenced section|date=July 2014}}

Garry Newlove was born in Salford, on 5 November 1959, the youngest of three children born to Thomas Edward Newlove (1913–1979) and his wife Ellen (1919–2002). He was married to Helen Marston from 1986 until his death, and had three daughters who were born between 1989 and 1994.

He was diagnosed with stomach cancer in August 1992 and made a full recovery from surgery to have his stomach and spleen removed.

By 2007, he was living in Padgate, Warrington, and was working as a sales manager for a local plastics company.

Newlove was attacked outside his house in Station Road North in the Padgate district of Warrington, Cheshire, on the evening of 10 August 2007, having gone outside to confront a gang of youths he suspected of vandalising his wife's car. He died in hospital in the early hours of 12 August 2007, less than 36 hours after the attack.

The murder was the culmination of numerous incidents of anti-social behaviour by youth gangs in and around Padgate, which had started several years earlier.{{Cite news|date=16 January 2008|title=Three convicted of Newlove murder|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7176471.stm|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210132758/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/7176471.stm|archivedate=10 February 2009|accessdate=27 April 2013}}

Nine suspects were quickly arrested, and three were charged with his murder on 14 August 2007 and remanded in custody.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6945248.stm|title=Youths remanded over man's death | work=BBC News | date=14 August 2007}} A fourth teenager was charged and remanded the next day{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6947440.stm|title=Fourth youth in court over death|work=BBC News|date=15 August 2007|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929115856/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6947440.stm|archivedate=29 September 2008}} and the fifth and final suspect was charged and remanded on 13 September 2007.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6993774.stm|title=Fifth youth charged with murder | work=BBC News | date=13 September 2007}}

Adam Swellings, 19, from Crewe, went on trial at Chester Crown Court charged with the murder on 14 November 2007, along with two 17-year-olds, a 16-year-old and a 15-year-old who could not be named for legal reasons.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/7094204.stm|title=Youths accused of father's murder | work=BBC News | date=14 November 2007}}

On 16 January 2008, Adam Swellings was convicted of the murder of Garry Newlove, along with 17-year-old Stephen Sorton and 16-year-old Jordan Cunliffe. The two other defendants were cleared of any involvement in the killing and walked free from court. Swellings, Sorton and Cunliffe were remanded in custody until being sentenced to life imprisonment on 11 February 2008. The trial judge recommended that Swellings, Sorton and Cunliffe should serve minimum terms of 17, 15 and 12 years respectively – sentences which were widely described as lenient by the victim's family and friends, as well as the tabloid media – as these sentences meant that the youngest of the three killers could be out of prison by the age of 28, and the oldest was likely to be paroled in his mid thirties.

Garry Newlove's murder was one of a number of high profile, widely reported murders in the United Kingdom during the late 2000s which highlighted the rise of crime involving youth gangs. Other comparable murders around the same time which attracted national attention were the murders of Tom ap Rhys Pryce (2006), Sophie Lancaster (2007), Rhys Jones (2007), Jimmy Mizen (2008) and Ben Kinsella (2008), all of which were committed by teenagers.

Since the trial, Garry Newlove's widow Helen Newlove has actively campaigned through the media for more support for victims of crime, and for more severe sentences for criminals, as well as working with communities and working to reduce crime.She was awarded a Peerage for this work in the Dissolution Honours of 2010 and is now styled Baroness Newlove. {{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7238496.stm|title=Newlove killers jailed for life|work=BBC News|date=11 February 2008|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080214180247/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7238496.stm|archivedate=14 February 2008}} In 2023 she was appointed Victims Commissioner for England and Wales by the Uk Government [https://victimscommissioner.org.uk/about-us/the-commissioner/ Appointed on 16 October 2023, Baroness Helen Newlove was named as the interim Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales for a one-year term. This has since been extended to 31 December, 2025.]

Swellings and Sorton appealed against their convictions and sentences. Their case was heard at the Court of Appeal on 13 November 2008. Swellings lost the appeal against his conviction and sentence, although Sorton won a two-year reduction on his minimum sentence.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7727010.stm|title=Newlove killer's appeal rejected | work=BBC News | date=13 November 2008}}

Cunliffe later appealed against his murder conviction on the grounds that he had not taken part in the attack on Mr Newlove, although he had been present when it happened. On 26 July 2010, the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-10763992|title=Garry Newlove killer's appeal dismissed|work=BBC News|date=26 July 2010|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100728184832/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-10763992|archivedate=28 July 2010}} His mother later questioned his murder conviction, claiming he could barely see the attack taking place due to a degenerative eye condition.{{cite web |author=Published on Monday 7 November 2011 11:40 |url=http://www.wigantoday.net/news/murder_teen_mum_s_photo_proof_hope_1_3945912 |title=Murder teen mum's photo proof hope – Local News |publisher=Wigan Today |date=2011-11-07 |accessdate=2012-09-19 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111210031006/http://www.wigantoday.net/news/murder_teen_mum_s_photo_proof_hope_1_3945912 |archivedate=10 December 2011 }}

In December 2019, the Parole Board recommended that Jordan Cunliffe (now aged 28) should be released from prison, but on 14 May 2020 it was reported that Cunliffe had been denied parole following reports that he had held an alcohol-fuelled party in his prison cell at an open prison to celebrate his impending release. As a result, and pending further consideration, he was returned to closed conditions in another prison.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-52662259|title = Garry Newlove murder: Killer Jordan Cunliffe 'held party in prison cell'|work = BBC News|date = 14 May 2020}}

Cunliffe was eventually paroled in September 2020. This decision was challenged by the Secretary of State but that appeal was dismissed on 23 October 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/PBRA/2020/157.html|title = Secretary of State, Application for Reconsideration in the case of Cunliffe [2020] PBRA 157 (23 October 2020)}}

In February 2020, the Parole Board also recommended that Stephen Sorton (now aged 29) should be released from prison.{{Cite web|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/tv/garry-newloves-widow-makes-tragic-17800641|title=Vandal who kicked dad to death after being caught to be set free|date=24 February 2020}} He is believed to have been paroled the following month.{{Cite web|url=https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/18257145.garry-newlove-killer-stephen-sorton-freed-prison/|title=One of Garry Newlove's killers will be released from prison next month}}

In April 2022, the Parole Board recommended that gang ringleader Adam Swellings be moved to an open prison with day release provisions.{{cite news |title=Garry Newlove murder: Gang leader blocked from open prison move |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-61284281 |access-date=30 April 2022 |work=BBC News |date=30 April 2022}} However, the move was blocked by Justice Secretary Dominic Raab.

The screenwriter Jimmy McGovern later used the case of Jordan Cunliffe as a basis for a new television drama.{{cite web |author=Published on Tuesday 16 November 2010 10:58 |url=http://www.wigantoday.net/news/jordan_cunliffe_case_to_drive_new_drama_1_2762614 |title=Jordan Cunliffe case to drive new drama – News |publisher=Wigan Today |date=2010-11-16 |accessdate=2012-09-19 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125003742/http://www.wigantoday.net/news/jordan_cunliffe_case_to_drive_new_drama_1_2762614 |archivedate=25 January 2012 }} Common was shown on BBC One on 6 July 2014.{{cite news|title=Common: Jimmy McGovern takes on 'group' crime rule|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-28148073|accessdate=6 July 2014|work=BBC|date=6 July 2014|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707130856/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-28148073|archivedate=7 July 2014}}

• John Cannan, another infamous murderer (and suspected killer of Suzy Lamplugh) who is also now eligible for release
• Patrick Mackay, a British serial killer who is now eligible for release from prison

{{Reflist}}

{{Murders in the United Kingdom in the 2000s}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Newlove, Garry}}

Category:2007 murders in the United Kingdom

Category:2007 in England

Category:2000s in Cheshire

Category:August 2007 crimes in Europe

Category:August 2007 in the United Kingdom

Category:Deaths by beating in the United Kingdom

Category:Murder in Cheshire