‘I want justice for Michael’
THE mum of a teenager murdered in an alleged homophobic attack by a thug from Runcorn said she could never forgive those involved in his death.
Openly gay Michael Causer was punched and kicked while he slept before his bleeding body was carried outside and dumped in the street.
Now, on the ninth anniversary of the 18-year-old’s death, his campaigning mum Marie is still pleading for more ‘justice’ following the prosecution of just one of the alleged four suspects in 2009.
Speaking ahead of a vigil held in the city centre last Wednesday to remember Michael, the 55-year-old said: “The people responsible for my son’s murder can rot in hell.
“There should have been more than one person found guilty. I’ll never ● Michael Causer was punched and kicked at a house party before his body was dumped in the street forgive them for what they did. “Michael was fabulous, he was a hairdresser and so friendly with everybody. We used to skit him and say he was going to be the next Herbert of Liverpool.” Michael was repeatedly hit with a hardback book thrown at his head during the fatal assault at a house party in Biglands Road, Huyton. He suffered numerous facial fractures and swelling to the brain following an attack described by prosecutors as ‘sustained and brutal’. It was alleged that those at the scene taunted the half-sleeping and naked teen with homophobic insults. Michael was bleeding heavily from his nose and mouth as he was removed from the house and dumped outside in the street. Mum-of-five Marie, from Whiston, added: “My son had a personality to die for. He had ambitions, he wanted to live his life but he wasn’t given that opportunity. “Michael delivered his sister’s baby at home, on the living room floor because she couldn’t get to the hospital on time. It was quite an experience. That’s the type of young man he was.”
James O’Connor, from Runcorn, stamped on 7½ stone Michael’s face after a drunken party in a friend’s gran’s house.
A group had gone back to the house after a night in a Prescot pub and they drank heavily until after dawn, when events spiralled out of control.
Michael was beaten so badly a blood clot formed on his brain.
The murder trial was told that an unconscious Michael was taken out on to the road on the pretence that he had been attacked by three strangers.
Marie believes there is still a problem with homophobia in Merseyside and in society as a whole.
She added: “There are still homophobic attitudes, but it’s not just Liverpool, it’s everywhere.
“It’s (also aimed at) disabled people and black people, these hate crimes are still out there.
“It’s due to lack of education and the way parents bring them up to be racist or homophobic, they need to be educated.
“Why don’t they bring other sexualities into it? We’ll never get justice for Michael, there were others involved in his death.
“O’Connor has just 11 and a half years to serve, how is that fair?” ●