ROBBERS KILL EX-NAVY OFFICER WITH HIS CAR
Murder hunt for yobs
TWO thieves who killed a former Royal Navy officer with his car were being hunted last night.
Michael Samwell, 35, was fatally injured in the confrontation outside his home at 3am yesterday in which he tried to stop the yobs stealing a £35,000 Audi S3.
Det Supt Jon Chadwick said: “This is the murder of an innocent man who has merely sought to protect his property from criminals.
“We will not stop until we have found the person responsible for this dreadful crime.
“My thoughts go out to Michael’s wife and family.
“I cannot comprehend what they must be going through. We have launched a murder investigation and are searching for those responsible.” The thugs were seen driving the Audi “erratically” and struck a kerb a few miles away. Police said the car was “significantly damaged” with a front wheel “more or less off” when it was abandoned three miles from the victim’s home in Chorlton, Manchester. Mr Samwell died an hour later at Manchester Royal Infirmary. One neighbour said: “This is heartbreaking. No man should die like this. He was woken from his sleep, doing nothing wrong, harming no one and died because he didn’t want his possessions stolen.” Another resident, Alan Jones, 54, said: “It’s shocking. It’s a quiet area round here – this is very unusual.” Mr Samwell joined the Royal Navy as an officer trainee in 2002 and left in 2014. He went on to became a programme manager for an engineering company.