Chief Reporter Luke Traynor reports on the anger of a Wirral family after a pensioner died following a violent yob headbutt
“This could have been anyone's mother, father or grandparent. You have to remember all he did was ask the two young lads to stop swearing. He had a paralysed arm and left leg, he did not look a well man, one of his last experiences of his life was being viciously assaulted by a hoodie.
“He went through the pain of the injuries, it was not a quick death, it was painful all round.
“Now I remember him in a hospital bed, rather than the good times.”
Passing sentence, Judge Stephen Clarke said: “It has an all too familiar ring at what is happening time and time again in our villages, towns and cities.
“People act without any thought about the consequences of what they are doing and show the merest respect to other human beings. Courts can only do so much, the real problems lie in our society which has lost respect for each other.
“You {Crawford} were aware of what you were doing and aware of who you were doing it to, an elderly gentleman old enough to be your grandfather, and I hope you are ashamed.”
Detective Inspector Andy Smith, of Cheshire Police’s Major Investigation Team, said: “It was a cowardly attack and a vicious assault on a vulnerable individual. Norma, his wife, will never get over it.
“All they did was go for a quiet drink on Parkgate Parade.”
Crawford, of Claypit Lane, Wrexham, has previous convictions for theft and criminal damage, and was living in a hostel at the time of the attack.
Cheshire Police initially launched a murder investigation before the charge was reduced to manslaughter and then to GBH.
On the night of the attack, Mr Corney had enjoyed a drink with his wife, Norma, when they saw foul-mouthed yobs outside their home overlooking the river marshes.
Two boys fled the scene after the attack and detectives appealed for help to track them down.
Son Michael spoke articulately of his father “standing up for what was right” in a moving tribute to him weeks after the assault.
From December 7 until his death on February 6, Mr Corney lay unconscious, barely able to communicate with his loving family, who held a vigil by his bedside.
After the charge of manslaughter was downgraded to GBH, a two-day trial was expected to take place this week, with Crawford ready to argue he acted in self-defence.
But the teenager changed his plea late on Friday to admit his guilt over the assault in the often quiet Wirral village, meaning Mr Corney’s heartbroken wife Norma was spared the task of having to give evidence in court.
OPINION: PAGE 12
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