Dad blamed ex for their son’s murder after split
THE father of a 15-year-old killed by teenagers blamed the boy’s grieving mother for his death – trashing her car, shouting abuse at her and sharing an intimate picture of her on WhatsApp.
Ian Nice, 45, wept in the dock on after Bolton magistrates court heard the difficult details of his ‘nuclear fallout’ with ex Laura Tansey following the death of their son Reece.
The pair were in a relationship for 18 years and had two children, including Reece. The teenager died after being stabbed six times by 16-year-old James White on May 4, last year.
White was found guilty of murder and locked up for 15 years following a trial last autumn, while 16-year-old Mark Nuttall – who was also present – was sentenced to six years for manslaughter.
The pair, from Farnworth, were named in February after court orders giving them anonymity were overturned, following applications made by the M.E.N. and other newspapers.
Prosecutor Richard Blackburn described how Nice targeted Ms Tansey three times over the course of a week in January – two months after their son’s killers had been convicted.
He said: “These offences have been committed against a tragic background that their son, Reece, was murdered in 2021 and the defendant for some time has laid blame for that on the complainant, his former partner.”
The court heard that on January 10, Ms Tansey was having breakfast with a friend in the cafe at Bolton town centre’s Morrisons. She was spotted by Nice.
Mr Blackburn said Nice began to shout: “She was the one who killed our son Reece.”
Ms Tansey was ‘particularly distressed’ by Nice’s comment, which was overheard by a security guard, who intervened.
The following day, Nice spotted Ms Tansey’s Vauxhall Corsa parked up while she was visiting a friend. Mr Blackburn told the court Ms Tansey found a ‘white substance’ on her car, which caused damage to the paintwork and an indicator light. It led to a £2,000 repair bill. Ms Tansey viewed CCTV footage from the area and identified Nice being ‘close by.’ The court heard that on January 13, Nice changed his WhatsApp profile picture to an intimate image which Ms Tansey had previously shared with him while they were together.
Nice also contacted Ms Tansey directly by WhatsApp, sending an image of her holding her late son’s hand in his coffin. He was arrested the following day. Mr Blackburn told the court Nice admitted to police he poured ‘conditioner’ on Ms Tansey’s car.
“The defendant said he was not thinking right and his head was not right,” Mr Blackburn said.
Nice, of Holcombe Crescent, Kearsley, Bolton, pleaded guilty to using abusive words with intent to cause harassment.
He admitted criminal damage worth £2,000 to the Corsa; and disclosing a private sexual photograph at an earlier appearance.
The court heard the traffic management operative had struggled to work while on bail since January, due to conditions requiring him to be at home overnight. Nice is due to be sentenced on Wednesday, July 20, at Bolton Crown Court.