Man found guilty of murdering Walsall FC fan Ryan Harvey in Blackpool jailed for life at Preston Crown Cort

A MAN found guilty of murdering a 22-year-old football fan in a fight in Blackpool has been jailed for life.

Paul Atherton, from Knowsley Crescent, Thornton was found guilty of murdering 'bubbly' Walsall FC fan Ryan Harvey in the resort in June 2022.

Officers from Lancashire Police were called to Central Drive at 5.33pm on Saturday, June 25 2022 following reports of people fighting.

When they arrived they 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 dead three days later. A post mortem concluded that the cause of Ryan’s death was blunt head trauma.

Today, Atherton was jailed for life and told he will serve a minimum of 16 years behind bars.

He was also given three months in prison consecutive to his murder sentence for common assault and 9 months in prison consecutive for possessing an offensive weapon.

Two days after Ryan's death police charged two men with murder. Thomas Heaney, 32, of Cross Street, Fleetwood was charged with murder following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service. He was also charged with Sec 47 assault.

In court, in June this year, Heaney pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm as well as to an unrelated offence of robbery.

The court heard that while both Atherton and Heaney punched Ryan Harvey, it is clear from the CCTV and expert medical evidence that Atherton struck the fatal blow.

Heaney was sentenced at Preston crown Court to 30 months for robbery and 10 months consecutively for the assault.

This week, his co-defendant Paul Atherton, 36, of Knowsley Crescent, Thornton has been standing trial charged with murder, Section 18 Wounding, Section 47 Wounding, two Section 39 Assaults and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

Yesterday the jury at Preston Crown Court returned guilty verdicts to the charges of murder, common assault and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

Atherton was remanded in custody for sentencing.

Paying tribute, Ryan's family said after his death: "A family has lost their little boy due to an incident that happened in Blackpool.

"Our little Ryan was a bubbly lad who would do anything for anyone.

"Ryan was a lifelong Walsall FC fan who lived and breathed football.

"We are absolutely heartbroken and would appreciate some privacy at this time to grieve for our loss."

Friends and family have shared moving tributes online to the massive Walsall fan, and a GoFundMe page has raised more than £2,000 to help his family pay his funeral costs.