Two men charged with murder following death of Ryan Harvey in Blackpool

Blackpool Police has charged two men with murder on Thursday, June 30, following the death of Ryan Harvey on Saturday.
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Thomas Heaney, 32, of Cross Street, Fleetwood was charged with murder following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service.

He is due to appear before Blackpool Magistrates’ Court on Friday (July 1st).

He is also charged with Sec 47 assault.

A murder investigation was launched following the death of Ryan David Harvey who suffered a serious head injury during an assault in Blackpool (Credit: Lancashire Police)A murder investigation was launched following the death of Ryan David Harvey who suffered a serious head injury during an assault in Blackpool (Credit: Lancashire Police)
A murder investigation was launched following the death of Ryan David Harvey who suffered a serious head injury during an assault in Blackpool (Credit: Lancashire Police)
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Officers were called to Central Drive in Blackpool at 5.33pm on Saturday, June 25 following reports of people fighting.

Officers attended and found a man with a serious head injury.

The man, 22-year-old Ryan David Harvey from Walsall, was taken to Royal Preston Hospital for treatment but he never recovered and was sadly pronounced deceased on Tuesday morning (June 28).

A post-mortem examination concluded that the cause of Ryan’s death was blunt head trauma.

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A 36-year-old man was arrested on Saturday at the scene. Paul Atherton, from Knowsley Crescent, Thornton, has since been charged with Section 18 Wounding, Section 47 Wounding, two Section 39 Assaults and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

The Crown Prosecution Service have also today authorised a new charge of murder for Atherton.

He appeared before Blackpool magistrates on Monday and was remanded into custody.

Temporary Det Chief Insp Rach Higson, of the Force Major Investigation Team, said: “A young man has lost his life following this incident and my thoughts remain with Ryan’s family and friends at this time.

“While we have now charged two people in connection with our investigation our enquiries are very much ongoing. I am really grateful to everyone who has helped with our investigation up to now and I would continue to appeal to anyone who has any information to come forward and contact us.”

Anyone with information or footage is asked to email [email protected] or call 101, quoting log number 1127 of the 25th June.