Michael Eccles murder: Councillor claims Lichfield still plagued by "feral yobs"
MORE innocent people could suffer violence in a murder-hit cathedral city unless police tackle ‘feral yobs’, a local councillor warned last night.
John Walker spoke out after thugs Carl Keatley, 20, and Jordan Carroll, 16, were convicted of the brutal killing of Michael Eccles in Lichfield.
The evil pair were found guilty of the senseless murder of the much-loved dad-of-five following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court, and now face life in jail.
But Coun Walker, an independent on Lichfield District Council, fears the Staffordshire city is still being plagued by drunk, violent youths.
He claimed attacks on residents were a regular occurrence before the murder and have continued afterwards despite the media attention.
Coun Walker said: “Nothing’s changed around here and gangs continue to cause problems for people, so I see no reason why we won’t have a repeat of what happened to Mr Eccles. I really do fear that more people are going to die.”
Mr Eccles, 43, was attacked yards from his home in the Dimbles area of the city in January. The sickening assault had followed a “verbal exchange” after he asked Carroll and jobless Keatley to move on from outside a local shop.
The drunk thugs, who had spent the day drinking vodka in a park, chased their victim and knocked him to the ground.
Carroll and Keatley – who lost a leg to cancer in his teens – then punched and stamped on the defenceless factory manager.
