Cowardly robber Thomas Heaney attacked man on day he was released from prison after fatal attack in Blackpool

Preston Crown Court heard Thomas Heaney had only been released from prison hours earlier, after being involved in an altercation that led to the death of a 22-year-old man, with more than £100 in cash.

But he targeted a man with mobility issues as he was withdrawing £40 from a cash machine, tried to headbutt him, pushed him against a wall and bit two of his fingers.

He failed to wrestle the money from the plucky victim but made off with his mobile phone instead.

Judge Heather Lloyd told Heaney, who appeared on a video link from prison: “The fact that you had only been released on licence on that day is a significantly aggravating feature.”

Previous crimes

The court was told Heaney, of Cross Street, Fleetwood had been serving a 40-month sentence for assault and a separate robbery, but had been freed on April 29 this year to live in a bail hostel in Accrington.

Heaney, 34, had been released from prison after being involved in an altercation that led to the death of a Walsall Football Club supporter in Blackpool.

The victim, 22-year-old Ryan Harvey was attacked after admiring his killer’s car on June 25, 2022 on Central Drive.

Mr Harvey and his friends had been on a day trip with fellow Walsall Football Club supporters to visit Blackpool.

As the group were returning to meet their coach to travel back home, killer Paul Atherton drove past them in his black Audi A6.

After Mr Harvey commented on liking the car, the 38-year-old stopped his car and without provocation or warning, he ran at and kicked the 22-year-old to the back, knocking him to the floor.

A friend of Atherton, Heaney, who happened to be passing, joined in with the violence and punched Mr Harvey knocking him to the floor a second time.

During the melee, Atherton returned to his car for a metal bar which he swung at the group, before returning to his car and starting to leave.

Mr Harvey kicked out at the rear of Atherton’s car as he left. Atherton pulled up and ran back to Mr Harvey to deliver a final blow which knocked him unconscious.

Mr Harvey died as a result of the blunt trauma to his head three days later on June 28, 2022.

Heaney pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was sentenced in June this year to 10 months imprisonment.

At the start of the trial Atherton pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but following the trial he has been found guilty of his murder. He was also found guilty common assault against a woman and possession of an offensive weapon.

Atherton, 38, of Knowsley Crescent, Thornton was sentenced to life imprisonment and told he must serve 16 years behind bars.

The prosecution case

Prosecuting barrister Peter Barr said that at around 10:40pm a man referred to as Mr Smith was walking through the centre of Accrington on his way to withdraw some money intending to use his mobile phone to make the transaction.

Heaney approached him asking for directions to Major Street. He told Mr Smith: “I need to get back or I am going to get recalled.” Mr Smith said he couldn’t help him with directions and Heaney briefly spoke to another passer-by.

Then, as Mr Smith used his phone to withdraw the cash, Heaney snatched the notes from his grasp. In a struggle that followed the victim managed to grab back to money, asking him: “What are you doing?”

He was pinned against the wall, Heaney grabbed his phone instead and began shouting threats, screaming: “I’ll bite your f***ing nose off.” He then punched him in the face, knocking off his glasses, leaving him with reddening around the eyes.

Mr Barr said: “He seemed to be desperate to get some money. The defendant bit Mr Smith’s fingers and two fingers were later swollen."

After a while Heaney broke free and ran off. He was arrested several days later after CCTV was shown to a probation officer who identified Heaney. When police apprehended him they found the stolen mobile.

In an interview with officers later he claimed Mr Smith had attacked him and had dropped the phone, so he ran off with it.

The court heard Heaney had 45 previous offences on his criminal record.

Daniel Harman, defending, said his client had “a level of contrition and acceptance of what he has done.” He said there had been only minimal physical harm to the victim and no weapons had been used.

“This was a remarkable piece of skewed thinking, he was desperate to get back to the bail hostel, so he goes out and commits a robbery. That is incredible thinking.”

Judge Lloyd told Heaney that, having been released from jail on licence earlier that same day, he had been “clearly looking to steal.” She said he had earlier tried to steal a parked car.

“Unfortunately Mr Smith became your next target. You followed him to the cash point. You stole his mobile phone.

“You may not have planned to commit robbery. (But) There was more than a struggle. You threatened to bite off his nose and you did bite his fingers. All the more concerning for Mr Smith is he was worried you might be a drug addict.

“You tried to headbutt him and struck him in the face. Mr Smith says he has limited mobility and you targeted him because of that.”

She said Heaney had told police he had been given £102 by the prison authorities on the day he was released.

He was “anxious” to get back to his lodgings “but you were already in breach of your (curfew) deadline.”

She gave Heaney a prison sentence of 40 months for robbery of the mobile phone. She allowed a second count of attempting to rob Mr Smith of £40 to lie on the file.