WARRINGTON: TEARS FOR VICTIM OF THE YOBS

TEARS FOR VICTIM OF THE YOBS

HE was called the “best dad anyone could ask for” – and yesterday the wife and daughters of murdered Garry Newlove wept as they said their final goodbye.

Father-of-three Garry, 47, was attacked in front of his daughter Zoe by up to 15 yobs as he tried to stop them vandalising a vehicle outside his home in Warrington, Cheshire.

As he lay dying in hospital from severe head injuries, his youngest daughter Amy, 12, wrote him a letter, begging him to stay alive.

It said: “To Daddy, I am unable to see you right now as you are too ill but I know you can fight this as you are a strong, loving man who I know loves me no matter what.”

The letter ended: “I want you to know you are the best dad anyone can ask for.” Now three weeks after Garry lost his fight for life Amy, Zoe, 19, Danielle, 16, and their mother Helen, 44, followed Garry’s coffin into church.

More than 300 mourners packed Christ Church in Padgate, Warrington, and joined in Garry’s favourite hymn, Amazing Grace.

The Rev Canon Stephen Attwater spoke of the impact of Garry’s murder on the community. “How could such a thing happen here in leafy Padgate?” he said. “What had gone wrong? We can only pray that what tragically happened to Garry will stop such an atrocity happening again.”

He praised Garry as “a loving, caring and devoted family man” who had been married 21 years.

He added: “When Garry was killed the lights literally went out for the family and for others too.”

After the funeral, Garry’s coffin was carried out of church to the Bee Gees hit Night Fever before the family went on to a private cremation service.

Garry, who beat stomach cancer 15 years ago, died on August 12, two days after the attack.

He had been set upon by the gang outside his home after trying to stop them wrecking a neighbour’s mini-digger.

Adam Swellings, from Crewe, Cheshire, two brothers aged 15 and one 16-year-old have been charged with his murder.

Garry’s widow and children left poignant notes to him yesterday attached to flowers.

Amy wrote: “I would give you my world just to see you be with Mum again. I would do anything for you. Through the years I have had great fun with you but I feel sad that it is all my fault that you are there. I did nothing.”

Eldest daughter Zoe wrote: “I want to thank you for everything you taught me and I want you to know I’m going to Preston Uni – if you hadn’t forced me to go to that interview I would not be going to Uni.

“I promise to make you proud Dad, I will look after everyone like you always did.”

Danielle left a card that read: “I love you so much with all my heart. You were a fantastic Dad.”

And his widow Helen’s letter read: “All I want is to see you, feel you, and hold you close to me and never let you go. I’ve loved you from the first time I met you and I’ll still love you forever. You have been my soulmate for 25 years and I’m lost without you.

“I feel empty and broken. I will cherish our memories till the day we meet again and I’ll keep my promise to you and I will make you proud.

“I cannot say goodbye. I say goodnight, God bless. You do not need to suffer anymore.”

Businessman Garry, who was said by Helen to be able to “sell ice to Eskimos”, had spoken to community police in May about youth disorder in the area and how he could assist the local Neighbourhood Watch group.

Detective Chief Inspector Martin Cleworth said after the murder that the gang of youths had been drinking. “Garry clearly posed no threat to the group who appeared to be between 10 to 15 in total,” he said.

“He did what any human being would do if we saw our property being vandalised. He was set upon and sustained several injuries including an injury to his head which is most likely the cause of death. We do believe that the youths were drinking.”


Cheshire Police Chief Constable Peter Fahy used the tragic murder to try to highlight the growing problem of underage drinking and yob violence. “Parents should be the key to tackling this problem,” he said.


http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/18146/Tears-for-victim-of-the-yobs