BBC
A man who murdered the cousin of world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury during a bar brawl has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 28 years.
Liam O’Pray, 22, was convicted of fatally stabbing Rico Burton, 31, in Altrincham, on 22 August 2022.
Manchester Crown Court heard the seven-inch blade almost completely severed a major artery in Mr Burton’s neck causing massive blood loss.
O’Pray, of Salford, had denied murder during the trial.
The trouble had begun after a fight between the defendant’s friends and Mr Burton’s family and friends at Goose Green, a courtyard of bars in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, the court heard.
Door staff and witnesses told the trial that O’Pray had been a “loose cannon” and was “very erratic” that night.
Jurors were told that shortly after 03:00 BST “absolute chaos” broke out after O’Pray’s friend, Malachi Hewitt-Brown, was punched by Mr Burton’s cousin, Chasiah Burton.
Soon after, O’Pray struck the fatal blow with the knife to the left side of Mr Burton’s neck but he told the trial he was “not a violent person”.
The court heard he had a previous conviction for having a knife in public in 2019.
O’Pray was also found guilty of wounding with intent by slashing and stabbing Harvey Reilly during the same incident.
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