Judge hits out at Garry Newlove killers

Feb 12 2008

Adam Swellings, left, Stephen Sorton and Jordan Cunliffe, all convicted of the murder of Garry Newlove _320

THE Warrington father-of-three kicked to death by three teenagers was “a courageous and devoted family man who paid with his life”, a judge said yesterday.

Mr Justice Andrew Swift said Garry Newlove, 47, went out to remonstrate with the drink and drug-fuelled gang after his wife Helen’s car was damaged, and did nothing to provoke his attackers.

Jailing the trio of cowards for life, the judge told them they had “destroyed” the Newlove family and added: “You three were only so brave because you outnumber- ed him many times. For you all, drunken aggression was part of the night’s entertainment.”

As Mrs Newlove, 44, wept in the public gallery at Chester Crown Court, the judge then paid tribute to her daughters who witnessed the attack and gave evidence during the trial.

“They did all anyone could have done to help, nobody who saw them during the trial could fail to have been touched and impressed by their simple and straightforward decency, I can’t find a better word for it. Everybody in court would have understood why Garry Newlove would have been so proud of them,” he said.

The judge said each member of the gang continued to behave aggressively once they had finish- ed with Mr Newlove. “His teenage daughters saw him attacked and fatally injured and I must consid- er the effect on them of such horr- ific effects and on Mrs Newlove after such a tough time,” he said.

Gang ringleader Adam Swell- ings, 19, of Crewe, was ordered to serve a minimum of 17 years be- hind bars. It emerged, after the trio were found guilty on January 16 of Mr Newlove’s murder, that Swellings had been released from custody for an assault just hours before the attack.

He was freed on bail provided he stayed away from Warrington but he never left the town. Instead, he met up with accomplicesStephen Sorton and Jordan Cunliffe and began their drink and drugs binge.

Sorton, 17, of Warrington, with whom he had committed a prev- ious violent attack, was locked up for a minimum of 15 years. Cun- liffe, 16, formerly of Warrington, was given a minimum of 12 years.

Popular salesman and happily- married Mr Newlove, the father of Zoe, 18, Danielle, 16, and 13-year- old Amy – was kicked “like a foot- ball” in front of his terrified wife and daughters last August 10.

The trio’s barristers offered little mitigation. Cunliffe’s QC, Raymond Wigglesworth, said the boy wanted to apologise.

Following the guilty verdicts last month, Mr Newlove’s widow, Helen, 44, spoke out and pledged to campaign to make Britain safer.

She said: “I am determined to carry on for the sake of my won- derful husband, Garry.

“He will not have died in vain. The light has gone out of our lives. It’s like a piece of our jigsaw has been lost. for ever. Garry and myself have brought up three girls together to respect other people and to be home, not to be walking the streets causing damage and intimidating other people.”

Outside court, Det Insp Geoff Elvey, of Chesh- ire police, said: “I don’t believe any defendants have shown any remorse but they will have time to reflect upon their actions.” He urged politicians to make it illegal for under-18s to be in possession of alcohol, which is currently not a criminal offence.