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Son found not guilty of killing dad as family applaud verdict
The pair had an argument at their home
A man has been found not guilty of murdering his father – and of an alternate offence of manslaughter – following a week-long trial at Manchester Crown Court.
Joseph McGowan, 20, was accused of murdering his father Darren McGowan, 51, during an argument at their home in Stockport earlier this year.
Prosecutors alleged that in the early hours of April 30th, three people left the address after a row had developed between Joseph and his dad.
A Jury was told that Joseph ‘lost his temper’ and put Darren in a chokehold or ‘headlock’.
He phoned 999 and told the operator that his dad ‘wasn’t breathing’ and told police officers arriving at the scene: “Me and my dad were arguing and I don’t know what to do. We were fighting and I choked my dad out.”
Joseph denied murder and the alternate offence of manslaughter. After Joseph was acquitted, his family applauded and jumped up from their seats in the public gallery, as the judge told him he was free to leave.
Prosecutor Owen Edwards KC told the trial at Manchester crown court: “We do not say that Joseph McGowan intended to kill his father. What we say is that he lost his temper and meant to really hurt him.
“We say he knew his father was drunk and in poor health and that he intended the serious harm that resulted from his choking action.”
Mr Edwards said Darren was married to Angela McGowan and that the couple had two sons together, with Joseph being one.
He told the court that in 2022, Darren suffered from an aneurysm shortly before his business ‘failed’ and he began ‘drinking too much’.
The prosecutor said as a consequence, the marriage struggled, with the couple separating for short periods of time. Mr Edwards said: “Most of the time, it seems, he got on well with Joseph McGowan.”
Two weeks before the fatal incident, Jurors heard how Joseph got into an argument with his dad who ‘goaded’ him calling him a ‘p****’.
Joseph hit him causing him to fall and hit his head against a windowsill, resulting in a wound to his head, it was said.
On April 30th this year Angela McGowan came back to the family home, on Glebe Street, in Offerton, along with three of her colleagues from the Midway pub to continue drinking.
They drank with Darren who had been invited to stay over, the court heard. And at one point Joseph came downstairs to join them, it was said.
During the evening, one friend was sick and left early before Angela went upstairs to change into her dressing gown.
The prosecutor said: “Darren was telling her she was drunk and embarrassing and she responded ‘it’s my f****** house’, before Joseph ushered her upstairs.
“At 2.14am, Joseph McGowan took a video of the remaining members of the group, which included Darren McGowan. This was less than an hour before Darren had been fatally injured by his son.”
Prosecutors allege that Darren went to check on Angela upstairs before telling everybody to leave, at which point Joseph responded that ‘it wasn’t his house’, before an argument ensued with one of the group briefly intervening.
The two remaining members of the group left the address leaving Joseph and Darren together, then a quarter of an hour later at 3.07am, Joseph McGowan called 999.
When officers attended Joseph had his top off and was found with numerous scratches all over his back, the court heard. Darren was rushed to hospital but was declared dead on May 3rd due to an ‘unsurvivable brain injury’, it was said.
A pathologist found that Darren had bruising to his larynx and to the soft tissues at the back of his throat, as well as bruising to his face, eye socket and collarbone.
A post mortem report concluded that the bruising was consistent with compression of the neck by headlock or chokehold and the cause of death was recorded as a brain injury caused by cardiac arrest, the court heard.
Giving evidence, Joseph McGowan said the pair had a brief fight upstairs before he got into a row with his mum downstairs.
Darren McGowan came downstairs and shouted at Joseph McGowan ‘Don’t talk to my wife like that’, the court heard. Joseph said: “I told him to f*** off. That was when he rugby tackled me onto the sofa.
“I grabbed onto the closest thing. I grabbed him in a headlock because he is a larger man than me. I was scared.”
He then said his dad had lifted him up and ‘smashed him’ into the sofa twice, before he collapsed on the living room floor. Then realising his dad was unconscious, Joseph rang 999 immediately.
When asked to describe their relationship, Joseph broke down in tears and said: “I loved him. We trained together. If my friends didn’t want to go out I would ask my dad. We were just a normal family. We enjoyed spending time together.”
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Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
News
More human remains discovered in Greater Manchester as police identify victim
All the latest updates
Detectives investigating the discovery of a torso in Kersal Dale have found more human remains around Greater Manchester.
GMP released a statement on the weekend, revealing they had opened four scenes for extensive searches – one of them at a warehouse in Bury, and three in Salford.
Searches took place at Blackleach reservoir, where human remains were found, and a dog walker found a package containing human remains at Colliery Wood.
Officers believe they have now identified the man, who they believe to be a man in his 60s that lived in Salford, and his family have been informed.
Two suspects have already been arrested in connection with the murder probe, with officers saying they are thought to have lived with the victim.
Greater Manchester Police / Facebook
Detective Superintendent Lewis Hughes, Senior Investigating Officer for this investigation, said in a statement at Blackleach reservoir yesterday, Sunday April 28th: “We have continued to make significant progress in our investigation into human remains being found in Kersal earlier this month.
“From day one, our priority has been to identify the man and his family so that we can give them the support and the answers that they need.
“Thanks to meticulous forensic work, we are now confident we have identified the man. Formal identification hasn’t yet taken place, but we believe he is a man in his 60s and lived in Salford.
“Specially-trained family liaison officers have met with his family this afternoon to give them the devastating news, and we will do all that we can to support them at this awful time.
“We believe he is known to the two suspects we have in custody. They have remained in custody for questioning over the weekend, as we work to establish how the victim met this tragic outcome.”
He continued: “We have painstakingly worked to follow up every line of inquiry in this investigation. Over the last couple of days, we have acted on information and had four scenes in place for extensive searches – one of them is at a warehouse in Bury, and three of them are in Salford, including here at Blackleach reservoir.
“Today, we have found some human remains at the reservoir here, and last night a dog walker found a package containing human remains at Colliery Wood. Forensic tests will continue to establish whose remains these are, but we are very confident that this is also the victim in our investigation.
“We have also been searching a house in Winton where we believe the victim and the two suspects lived. We have found evidence that the victim is likely to have died there – most likely in late March.
“While this is significant progress, we know there is still some way to go to complete this investigation. I also recognise details of this case will have been distressing for the people of Salford and beyond – including the officers that are diligently working on this investigation, and most importantly the man’s heartbroken family.
“Local officers will continue to patrol the affected areas, and we will provide updates when we have more information.”
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