Two men who fatally stabbed their victim believing that he was intending to steal drugs from them have been jailed for a total of forty years in Manchester
Michael McCann was fatally stabbed on Back Bradford Street after an altercation with Jordan Downs and Paul Simmons in Bolton in June 2024
Downs and Simmons believed Michael was intending to steal drugs from them.
The confrontation escalated, resulting in Michael being stabbed from behind by Downs. Tragically, he died from his injuries two days later.
On arrest, Downs and Simmons claimed Michael had a knife on him and they were acting in self-defence.
The investigation found the pair suspected they were going to be robbed of their drugs, so armed themselves before meeting Michael.
In a victim impact statement read out in court, Michael’s brother Jack said: “Growing up I always looked up to Mickey. He was kind, funny and always out to impress, and I knew he loved his family. My friends all thought Mickey was cool and everyone knew him on the estate we grew up on.
“This past year has been a testing one for me personally having to arrange a funeral for Mickey whilst trying to celebrate the birth of my daughter. When I got the news that Mickey was in hospital and I saw the state he was in, I knew the situation was serious.
“My fondest memory of Mickey will always be the FaceTime call I had with him when I was holding my daughter after her birth, the joy on his face and he couldn’t wait to meet her. Unfortunately, he died two weeks later.
“Mickey’s death has left a massive hole in our family and in our hearts. My daughter is now nearly one years old and Mickey has missed out on seeing her grow, her first steps, her first giggle, her first crawl and her first words which I would have made sure she knew to say Uncle Mickey.
“I know Mickey was no angel and he followed the path and the demons that he had, but Mickey was very loving to those that loved him, and his hard front was exactly that, a front in order to survive in the harsh reality of the lives that get lost in the path of drug addiction.
“Mickey was my oldest brother, I loved him dearly and despite his lifestyle, he had a good heart and loved his family. All those involved had an opportunity to realise their wrongs and ask for help as soon as possible, but they walked away from him.
“No one deserves to die the way he did. Mickey’s death will never sit right me for as long as I live.”
