‘Despicable’ pair guilty of killing ‘much-loved’ dad
TWO men who murdered a much-loved dad in a hostel then told staff he had suffered a seizure have been jailed for life.
Daniel Whitmore, 26, and Daniel Mayers, 38, both of Macclesfield, were convicted of murdering Peter Robson following a 12-day trial at Chester Crown Court.
After the attack they went playing snooker and drinking in the pub.
Mayers will serve a minimum of 17 years and six months, Whitmore at least 20 years.
The victim - known as ‘Archie’ - was found collapsed in his room at a hostel on Glegg Street, Macclesfield.
Mayers had alerted staff claiming he and Whitmore had found him on the floor on the evening on November 8 last year.
But when paramedics rushed him to Macclesfield Hospital, staff there were concerned at the seriousness of Mr Robson’s head and face injuries and that they were likely from an attack.
Police were alerted and discovered the victim’s room was in disarray, with obvious signs of a disturbance and assault.
CCTV showed Mayers and Whitmore’s movements around the hostel from throughout the day, often leaving and returning to Mr Robson’s room.
Footage also showed Mr Robson, 59, entering his room that morning and not being seen again until paramedics attended.
And the CCTV caught both defendants removing items including a TV from the room.
Finally the two were shown returning and reporting to hostel staff that Mr Robson had collapsed. He then died the following day and it was clear he had suffered a violent assault.
Mayers, of Glegg Street, was arrested the evening of the attack and Whitmore, of Mayfield Avenue, was arrested the following day.
Following Mr Robson’s death his family described him as ‘a lovely, intelligent guy, friendly to everyone and a character people just loved’.
Speaking after the verdict, DI Adam Waller said: “Mayers and Whitmore tried to cover their tracks by lying that Archie had a seizure.
“Despite their efforts to clean up after attacking Archie, powerful forensic evidence also supported the involvement of the defendants in an assault. Despite our best efforts we still don’t know why.
“His family are devastated and have told me that their lives will never be the same again.
“Archie was a much loved father and, despite some of the challenges he faced during his life, he remained a well-liked character.
“His frailties and vulnerability made him a prime target for Mayers and Whitmore, and he was assaulted and left to suffer in his room for most of that day.
“Leaving Archie in the manner that they did whilst they played snooker and visiting a pub was quite frankly, despicable and cowardly.”