Detectives investigating the murder of David Lees in 2006 have made two arrests and warned those involved, ‘we will never give up’.
It has been nearly 10 years since David, who was just 23, was deliberately run down by a car and killed on Middleton Road in Prestwich, and officers are still searching for justice for his family.
In the early hours of Saturday 28 October 2006, David and his friends became involved in a disturbance with a group of Asian men believed to be from the Longsight area of Manchester.
A man wearing a hooded top was seen getting into a silver Vauxhall Vectra, registration number T313 NCR. The car sped up to about 60 to 70mph before it drove directly at David, who was standing in the middle of the road.
He was thrown nearly 30 feet and suffered catastrophic head injuries as a result of the collision.
Following the incident, the car was driven to the gates at Heaton Park on Middleton Road where the driver met with friends in other cars before heading to south Manchester.
Enquiries at the time resulted in a number of convictions for perverting the course of justice, but officers were unable to obtain a charge for murder with the information available to them.
A decade-long investigation has now culminated in two men – aged 30 and 34 – being arrested on suspicion of murder after new information came to light.
They have both been bailed until 26 April 2016, pending further investigation.
Today, Wednesday 2 March 2016, the senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Jamie Daniels and David’s family have warned those responsible that police will never give up their fight to find his killers.
DCI Daniels said: “Justice has been slow for Ann and the rest of David’s family, but I am pleased to say that even after 10 years we are still making progress in this case and will never give up.
“We remain absolutely determined to ensure the person or people responsible for this senseless crime receive the punishment they deserve.
“Ann, Don and David’s family and friends have lived a life-sentence since the day that he was murdered and I’m determined that we will leave no stone unturned in bringing those responsible for David’s murder to justice.
“The fact that we are still looking at this case, ten years later, is proof of this.
“We have taken steps towards that end in recent months, including these fresh arrests, and we will be doing everything that we can to ensure that those guilty of being in control of the car that hit David are held accountable.
“It is not right that someone responsible for murder has remained free for 10 years, while David’s family have been deprived not only of their beloved son, but justice.
“My message to those responsible is clear; this is never going away and we will never stop.
“We have received new information about this case but I’m appealing to the public, and in particular the community of Longsight, to come forward and speak to us.
“Can you imagine, not only losing your son, or your brother, or your loved one but discovering that he’s been murdered and having to live each day, knowing that his killers are free?
“This is what the family have had to endure and at a human level, it’s time that the wall of silence around those responsible was broken.
“The reward of £50,000 remains for anyone who can provide police with information leading to the conviction of those responsible, and I urge those people to come forward and claim it.
David’s mother, Ann said: “Even now, nearly a decade on, the pain I feel at the loss of David is just as keen as it was that day.
“The fact that his murderer has been free to live their life, having so cruelly stolen my son’s life, has only added to the mental burden I have carried ever since.
“The arrests that have been made are a start, but now it is vitally important to me, and the memory of David, that someone is convicted for this crime.
“As long as I have breath in my body, I will never give up this fight.
“We wouldn’t hesitate to come forward if we had information that would help the police in an investigation and I hope that people can do the same for us as a family.”
Anyone with any information about the murder is asked to contact the Incident Room on 0161 856 2447 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
