Murder victim Steven May's family reveal his aspirations to be a 'James Dean' lookalike model during heartbreaking tribute to him

Today as jurors returned a unanimous guilty verdict at Preston Crown Court, the family shared their favourite photographs of Steven and said they felt "so much sadness" at his loss.

Steven, 50, was born to Sheila, a seamstress, and Eddie, a binman.

He grew up in Cecilia Street, Ribbleton, with his two older sisters, who described him as a cheeky, mischievous youngster with a penchant for practical jokes.

Sister Michelle recalls: "Once he put cling film on the toilet to trick me.

"But we would get our own back on him - once we locked him out on the bathroom roof.

"He was a joker, and annoying, but he loved everybody, and everybody loved him."

Steven was a talented artist and when he left Ribbleton Hall High School he achieved one GCSE in Art.

He was particularly close to his dad, who took him camping, and they started to go fishing on the River Ribble when Steven was seven.

But a family tragedy was to shape the rest of Steven's life.

When he was just 14, Eddie was tragically killed by a hit and run drink driver - who later received unpaid work.

The traumatised teenager would sometimes sleep walk and go to the place where dad was killed, and even believed he saw the accident.

The heartbroken youngster tried to make his way in life, first using his artistic abilities to work as a signmaker, kit car builder and mural artist, and then aspiring to work as a "James Dean " style model - even having a portfolio of pictures made.

He became a dad to his first child, Natalya at 18, followed by a son, Dylan, in his 20s.

But at a young age, a grieving Steven had already started to drink more than he should and struggled to hold down a regular job and a relationship.

Eldest sister Sharon explains: "Steven wanted to be like our dad, he looked up to him.

"We think that is partly where his problems began."

Steven, who developed epilepsy linked to his health problems, would sometimes socialise with a group of friends at pubs in the Meadow Street area. While living in the Acregate Lane area he got to know a man who lived close by - Darren Taylor, who would, years later, stand trial accused of his murder.

As he grew older, and his addiction gripped him, Steven was looked after by his mum Sheila, who helped him with his finances, and they lived on Ramsay Avenue.

By then Sheila had a new companion, Albert, but he tragically died six years ago after getting dementia.

Steven's deterioration intensified further when he lost his beloved mum in 2018, not eating properly, losing weight, and becoming incontinent.

He suffered a massive seizure the day before her funeral and was too poorly to attend, due to being in hospital.

He moved out of the home they had shared and into Albert old home on Raven Street, though he did not like to sleep in Albert's old room, preferring to sleep on the sofa.

Around February 2019, Darren Taylor became a regular face at the address, claiming he was 'caring' for him.

He painted himself as helping Steven, ridding him of various characters who had started to hang around at his address.

Little did anyone know this was for Taylor's own benefit.

He manipulated the family into believing he was genuinely caring for Steven - but behind closed doors belittled him, and inflicted horrific injuries.

Under Steven's roof, Taylor, who had no income of his own coming in, had no bills to pay, and free bed and board, with the family remarking Steven was his "gift horse".

Over the next few weeks Sharon, now power of attorney over Steven's finances, helped put a social services care package into place.

But she noticed increasing calls and texts from Taylor's phone asking her to transfer Steven's savings, which at that point was in the thousands, into Steven's current account, from where it was withdrawn.

They assumed Steven was spending too much on cigarettes and alcohol - his mum had always helped him out before her death.

But by the time he died, he had just £8 in his savings and 35p in his current account, with the family believing Taylor was paying for crack cocaine amongst other things.

Michelle says: " Steven would have been oblivious to this due to his mental health problems and alcoholism, he just saw Taylor as a friend who would sit and drink with him, keep him company, cook and clean.

"He could not see the blanket of deceit that was slowly taking his life, neither did anyone else.

"He preyed on Steven’s kindness and set himself up in his home, using Steven for his own benefit."

Evidence in court suggests in addition to the financial and physical abuse, Taylor had belittled and embarrassed him by telling people he wore incontinence nappies and ordering him to pull down his pants to show people.

Taylor called 999 on May 20 reporting he had found Steven dead.

The family had believed at first it was due to natural causes, but during a post mortem, he was found to have died from a combination of multiple rib fractures, compromising his ability to breathe, a severe jaw fracture with associated heavy bleeding, and pain.

He weighed just six and a half stone.

A pathologist discovered 76 rib fractures in the last 12 weeks of his life - the same period Taylor had been his lodger - and said the injuries were consistent with systematic abuse.

Sharon recalls: " It made me feel sick. I kept thinking 'why didn't we notice?'

"We didn't visit a lot because we all had our own lives and families, but we did what we could to try and help, because we promised our mum before she passed away we would.

" We would visit him on occasions, take him shopping, to the barbers and for doctor's appointments.

"It has been very hurtful in court to have it suggested the family didn't help him. A lot of people cared for Steven but we couldn't be there 24/7.

"Steven never ever told any of us what was going on - he must have been petrified. He always had his parka on so we didn't notice anything unusual.

"I asked myself over and over again why we didn’t see what was happening but life gets in the way sometimes. We are all so busy and often can’t see the wood for the trees.

" Our whole family have been left traumatised.

"Taylor is a vile, angry bully who clearly took advantage of our Steven’s vulnerability.

"I believe Steven lived in fear, he was vulnerable, manipulated, bullied, beaten and belittled and too afraid to tell anyone how awful life had become.

"Steven was lost in his own tormented world but did not pose a threat to anyone, just got on with his life in his own way.

He kept himself to himself and did not deserve this end."

She added: " The family thanks all those that have supported us through the trial and appreciate all the kind words and support special thanks to our prosecution and all those that helped on the case.

"However could we respectfully request that we are now left alone to grieve and try to get back some kind of normality to our lives."