- Murder of Anthony Walker
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For other people named Anthony Walker, see Anthony Walker (disambiguation).
Anthony Walker Born Anthony Walker
February 21, 1987
Huyton, Liverpool, EnglandDied July 30, 2005 (aged 18)
Huyton, Liverpool, EnglandCause of death Blood loss from an axe wound to the head Residence Huyton, Liverpool, England Nationality British Ethnicity Black British Citizenship United Kingdom Occupation A-level student Known for Victim of a racist murder Partner Louise Thompson Website [1] Anthony Walker (21 February 1987 – 30 July 2005) was a black British student of African descent from Huyton, Liverpool, England, who was murdered with an ice axe, by Michael Barton and his cousin Paul Taylor, in an unprovoked racist attack. Walker was 18 years old and was in his second year of A-levels. He lived with his mother, Gee Walker, his father, Steve Walker, his two sisters and one brother.
Contents
Incident
Prior to the assault, a hooded man in his late teens, deliberately frightened and intimidated Walker using racist abuse at a bus stop outside the "Huyton Park" pub where Walker was waiting for a bus with his girlfriend Louise Thompson and his cousin Marcus Binns.[1] Louise and Marcus ran to get help, and returned to find Anthony almost dead and bleeding profusely with an axe embedded in his head.[2] He was taken to a hospital but did not regain consciousness and died six hours later.[1] The court heard that Walker died as a result of an ice axe being swung "at him with such force that its end smashed through his skull and was embedded in his brain".[3][4] After the killing, Paul Taylor and Michael Barton (half brother to Premiership footballer Joey Barton) changed their clothes and fled to Amsterdam.[3] They were arrested upon their return to Liverpool John Lennon Airport after their families were informed that they were the main suspects in the attack.[4]
Trial
Michael Barton and his cousin Paul Taylor were sent for trial at Preston Crown Court. Taylor pleaded guilty to murder and Barton, who denied the same charge, was convicted of the killing on the grounds he supplied the weapon and started the confrontation.
On 30 November 2005, Taylor and Barton were found guilty of the racially motivated murder of Walker. They were sentenced the following day.[3]
Following the trial judge, Mr Justice Leveson's recommendation of a minimum sentence, Taylor, who had delivered the fatal blow, received a minimum of 23 years and 8 months in prison; while Barton, who had supplied the axe, received a minimum of 17 years and 8 months.[5]
Taylor is expected to remain in prison until at least August 2028 and the age of 43. Barton is expected to remain behind bars until at least August 2023 and the age of 35.
Passing sentence, Mr. Justice Leveson said that the cousins had perpetrated a "terrifying ambush" and a "racist attack of a type poisonous to any civilised society".[5]
Aftermath
In April 2006 it was reported that Barton had been attacked by fellow inmates at Moorland Closed Prison near Doncaster, South Yorkshire.[6]
Three other people were later found guilty of helping Barton and Taylor flee to Holland before their eventual arrest. On 10 May 2006 Robert Williams was convicted of providing money and booking a hotel room for the pair. He was sentenced to two years and four months. Paul Morson was sentenced to 11 months in prison for providing a getaway car. Tracy Garner admitted assisting an offender and received an 11-month suspended sentence and 50 hours of community service.[7]
Although they drew frequent comparisons, many denied that there were similarities between Walker's killing and that of Stephen Lawrence in 1993. One such critic was Labour MP Edward O'Hara, who stated that, although there was a "certain surface comparison", Walker's killing was "random, exceptional and representative of absolutely nothing".[8]
Walker's mother explained her attitude towards her son's killers, saying "I have to forgive them. I can't feel anger and hatred, because that is what killed my son". However, Walker's girlfriend (Louise), who was present on the night of his murder said she never would forgive them adding, "I hate them for what they have done. Anthony and I shared something special. Now he has been taken away from me by those two evil young men. I still feel that he (Anthony Walker) is around. Yesterday, I sent Anthony a text and just told him he (Barton) had been found guilty. It seemed the natural thing to do."[9]
Anthony Walker Law Scholarship scheme
On 2 April 2008, the Crown Prosecution Service announced a legal scholarship in Walker's memory. The scheme will offer one place in CPS Merseyside to a trainee solicitor who wants to become a full-fledged solicitor or barrister. It is open to any black or ethnic minority person who has secured or intends to apply for a place to study the LPC or BVC full-time.[10]
References
- ^ a b "Family in plea over axe killing". BBC News. 31 July 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4733171.stm. Retrieved 21 January 2007.
- ^ "Anthony Walker – The Real Story". BBC News. 30 November 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/programmes/real_story/4479060.stm. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- ^ a b c "Youth guilty of racist axe murder". BBC News. 30 November 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4477156.stm. Retrieved 21 January 2007.
- ^ a b Freeman, Simon (30 November 2005). "Long sentences expected for racist killers of Anthony Walker". The Times (London). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article598200.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- ^ a b Oliver, Mark (1 December 2005). "Cousins jailed for racist axe murder". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/race/story/0,11374,1655341,00.html?gusrc=rss. Retrieved 21 January 2007.
- ^ "Anthony's killer attacked in jail". BBC News. 24 April 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4938582.stm. Retrieved 11 April 2007.
- ^ "Williams, Garner and Morson sentenced for helping Anthony Walker's murderers escape the country". CPS. http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/125_06.html. Retrieved 21 January 2007.
- ^ "Second arrest over race killing". BBC News. 1 August 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4733895.stm. Retrieved 21 January 2007.
- ^ "I cannot forgive his murderers, says Anthony's girlfriend". icLiverpool. Dec 2 2005. http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/anthonywalker/tm_headline=i-cannot-forgive-his-murderers-says-anthony-s-girlfriend&method=full&objectid=16438296&siteid=50061-name_page.html.
- ^ "CPS Anthony Walker Law Scholarship launched". Crown Prosecution Service. 9 April 2008. http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/press_releases/124_08/. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
Categories:- 2005 in England
- Deaths by blade weapons
- English murder victims
- Government reports
- Liverpool murder cases
- Murder in 2005
- Racially motivated violence in England
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