23.3.2000 News from Wigan

News Report Archive 23rd March 2000

FATHER STABBED TO DEATH

A murder hunt is underway after a 26-year-old man was stabbed to death outside a late-night cafe in Wigan town centre. Father of one, Francis Gallear, from Belle Vue Street Scholes, was taken to Wigan Infirmary after being found stabbed at the Last Supper Eating House in Rodney Street at 3.45am on Saturday, he died from his injuries.
Detectives urgently want to speak to anyone who was in the Last Supper Bar at around that time. Det Supt Keith Jardine, who is leading the murder investigation said he was particularly interested in speaking to two groups of men who left the cafe shortly after the incident. he added, "We believe at least two men left in the first taxi, thought to be a Ford Mondeo or Vauxhall Cavalier, and another group left in a light coloured Maestro.
"At saddle junction traffic lights, the people from the Maestro got out of the car and pulled the two men from the first taxi and a fight broke out. We believe these men have knowledge of the incident in the Last Supper Bar and are urging them to come forward."
He also appealed for the taxi drivers to come forward. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the major incident room on 0161 856 7082.
Francis Gallear's girlfriend, Deborah Leyland has spoken of her devastation at his death. Francis, who was 26, had been 24 yr-old Deborah's boyfriend for eight years and was also the father of her son, two yr-old Jacob.
He was rushed to Wigan Infirmary around 4am but was pronounced dead on arrival. A post mortem examination has since revealed that the cause of his death was a stab wound to his chest.
Deborah, speaking from the Scholes Tavern where she lives with her landlady mum, Jackie, said; "I'm absolutely shocked and can't believe what's happened. I know I'll eventually have to get my head round it for Jacob's sake but I can't believe it. Everybody loved Franny, he had so many friends and was very popular. Everyone is devastated."
Recalling events in the early hours of Saturday morning she said, "We arrived there around 3am. We didn't always go there, just sometimes if there was a big gang of us. It was somewhere to go after the pubs and clubs close. Although we were both in there together, I was downstairs and rthen decided to go and look for Franny. I couldn't believe it when I found him slumped against the stairs. It was then I knew he wouldn't make it. Somone had already rung for an ambulance and I just waited with him. I felt helpless because I just couldn't do anything.
"My life is ruined and Jacob has been robbed of a dad. He'll never have a proper family now. He keeps asking for his dad, how can I explain all this to him?"

LATEST ON COUNCIL INTERNET PORN PROBE

Three Wigan councillors who are at the centre of a laptop computer porn investigation have come forward in a bid to end a whispering campaign.

Their decision to speak out follows the suspension of fellow member Coun Mark Hale from the Labour prty as part of the same probe. In a joint statement, Barry Hampson, who represents Abram, Barbara Bourne (Norley), and Rona Winkworth (Winstanley) said, "We can confirm that we are under investigation in this matter, but don't want to comment any further until the investigation is completed."
Pornography was found to have been accessed on the councillor's computers after an internal 'purge' of the town hall server to upgrade it's memory capacity.
The councillor's conduct will now be investigated by the same policy and resources commitee which decided to restrict leading councillor Mark Hale's internet access because he had accessed 'adult material'.
It is known that the defence of the three other councillors will revolve around the question of who exactly accessed the material on their computers.
Previously the machines could be operated without a password by anybody, whether an authorised user or not. they are now protected against abuse by a password system. A meeting later this month will establish whether younger family members were to blame for the unauthorised usage.
Coun Hale, a front runner in the Leigh parliamentary selection race for Labour, agreed to pay back �12 cash to the council for internet line rental for the unauthorised use when he was questioned on the issue. He has now been suspended by the Labour party pending their own investigation into his conduct.
Coun Hale has insisted throughout that his intentions were honourable and he had accessed the adult material as part of a practical investigation he was carrying out after being told porn could be displayed on the council supplied computers without the use of a password.
Wigan Metro has refused to comment on the councillor's statement.

WIGAN BUTCHER TAKES TO CATWALK

A Wigan man has put the butch back into butcher by strutting his stuff on the catwalk.
Daniel Chadwick, 25, of Noel Chadwick's Butchers on High Street Standish, showed what a beefcake he is when he modelled for the Foodex Meatex 2000 exhibition at Birmingham's NEC.
The hunky guy was invited on the modelling assignment following the huge success of the Guild of Butchers Millenium calendar, in which he was Mr July.
For that assignment the beefy butcher bared almost all for charity, but at his latest show he was fully clothed, he said, "Thank God I was wearing clothes this time. I hadn't really been looking forward to the fashion show. It was really embarassing but I had to do it as my dad and uncle put my name forward to the Guild."
Daniel has worked for six years in the family business, met up with the rest of the calendar pin-ups to model a variety of butchers uniforms at the event. After the catwalk show, he helped auction off signed copies of the Millenium calendar.
The exhibition was one of the meat industry's biggest exhibitions, with more than 500 exhibitors. Money from the calendar sales is being donated to Children in Need.

MUM IN FIGHT TO KEEP HER KENNELS

A Dog lover is to appeal after councillors refused her planning permission for her four pet kennels.
Greyhound fan Maxine Clark admitted she was surprised by the council's decision and the row which has blown up over the kennel and paddock complex at the rear of her Tyldesley home. She said that if the Metro pursue their threat to 'enforce' the kennel building ban she would have to get rid of her beloved pets. The mum, from Mort Lane, added, "I could keep one of the dogs in the house, but not four at the same time. All this has flared up so quickly that I can't get my head around it and I shall be seeking legal advice because the way things have gone, I don't know what is going to happen next."
The planning commitee turned down her retrospective application because of claims by neighbours that her pets were a noisy disturbance and their premises too near their housing. They had alleged that Mrs Clark had kept up to ten greyhounds at a time behind her home and that she was operating a commercial business from there.
But Mrs Clark strenuosly denied that she had ever kept more than the four 'domestic' dogs that planning law allowed and they were pets only.
Councillor Stephen Hellier told last Tuesday's planning commitee; "I have a dog and when it meets a friend of mine in the street it goes crazy, barking and wagging it's tail at the same time. My friend is fond of saying 'which end do you believe' and that is the case here because the neighbours are saying very different things to Mrs Clark.
Neighbours had complained that Mrs Clark was abusing her 'domestic pet' permission. Mr Stan Grundy, of Sale Lane, claimed in a statement to councillors, "My wife and I have personally seen as many as eight greyhounds being exercised along Sale Lane, where they foul the verge and we are concerned about greyhounds fouling the newly built pen, which is quite near our bedroom window, particularly in hot weather." He said that neighbours already suffered 'continuous barking' in the early morning and at teatime when the dogs were waiting to be fed.
Next door neighbour Mr Ron Hogan claimed that the existing new kennel block, just nine feet away from his property, had been built for up to 10 racing greyhounds as a commercial business. He claimed, "Mrs Clark is a registered, licensed trainer with the National Greyhound Racing Club which entitles her to keep as many dogs as she desires, but she can only race up to twelve dogs at one time-she is racing dogs at Westhoughton and Whitwood in Yorkshire."
Mrs Clark said that she has always been a 'good neighbour' and had even installed a baby alarm so that she could react instantly if the dogs became unsettled and started to bark. She added, "They are my hobbyand they have got nothing to do with any business and it is just nonsense to say that it is."

ENGLAND CALL-UP FOR LEE

Following in the footsteps of David Beckham is only a dream for many young footballers, but for an Ashton schoolboy, it could well become a reality.
Lee Lawrence, a Year 10 pupil at St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic School has been selected to join the England Under 15s international squad. he is now set to undertake rigorous training to prepare for their matches against Holland and Italy in April.
Fifteen year-old Lee, from Langdale Crescent Abram, whose ambition is to kick the ball across Old Trafford as a professional footballer, cannot believe his luck and is absolutely thrilled. But it's a double whammy for Lee because since he received the news about playing for England, he's also gained sponsorship from Nike, who will now be supplying his football boots.
As a member of Manchester United Academy for five years and a key player, Lee was given a strong recommendation from the club-giving him the go-ahead to take a step further on the journey to becoming an international footballer.
Lee said, "I've been playing football since the age of four and to get this far is brilliant. I'm really thrilled. But I'm not kidding myself it's going to be easy because there will be a lot of training- especially if the trials were anything to go by. Football will take up most of my spare time, but I don't mind because I love it and I want to do well. My ultimate goal is to play for Manchester United."
Lee has a busy schedule ahead of him, he is set to play in two international friendlies on March 24 and April 7 and two tournaments at the end of next month, and that's a lot of training. He wants to impress Manchester United Academy so he will hopefully get another two-year contract to attend a football school.
Lee, who aspires to Brazilian footballer Roberto Carlos added, "My favourite subject at school is PE which gives me the chance to practice my football skills, after all I want to get as much practice as possible because playing for the England Under 15 squad is very important to me."
Paul Eyes, deputy head at St Edmund Arrowsmith said, "Lee is a modest and level-headed lad. Manchester United think a lot of him and have been very supportive as we try to provide Lee with a solid academic foundation for his future. It is a great honour for Lee, his family and the school to be involved with the national team in such a high profile sport. We wish Lee well for the future and will do everything in our power to ensure he has the opportunity to realsise his full potential."

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