Irishman’s killer is jailed for life..
Judge hits out at ‘devious’ murderer over brutal attack
A “DEVIOUS” murderer who killed his Irish flatmate after they’d spent a night in the pub together has been jailed for life.
Lee Burns, 38, will have to serve at least 21 years in prison after he was found guilty of the murder of 45-year-old Dubliner Vinny Mcdonagh in a brutal street attack.
Mr Mcdonagh, who was engaged and a father to four-yearold son Frankie, was found unresponsive in the street in Oldham after Burns had launched a ferocious attack.
After punching him and causing him to fall to the ground, Burns proceeded to kick and punch him repeatedly. Burns had said “I’ll f***ing bang you out bro” before attacking Mr Mcdonagh.
The assault was captured on harrowing CCTV footage, containing “sickening thuds”, which his loved ones found too distressing to watch in court.
The pair had spent the night in a pub together after Mr Mcdonagh had lent him £20.
Prosecutors said the motive for the murder was unclear but Burns may have been angered by “something as innocuous as” Mr Mcdonagh using his mobile phone.
Burns denied murder and claimed he had been acting in self-defence. But a jury at Manchester Crown Court saw through his lies and convicted him.
Judge Alan Conrad KC told Burns: “You have shown no remorse at all during these proceedings. You used every device you could to throw mud at Vincent and to sully his character, knowing he was not here to answer back. You are a devious and manipulative man who sought in the face of overwhelming evidence to concoct a bogus defence.
“What you did was as cowardly as it was wicked. Vincent had done nothing to warrant your behaviour towards him.”
Burns was handed a life sentence, and ordered to serve at least 21 years. Mr Mcdonagh’s fiancee Demi Leigh Sykes and other loved ones were in court to see justice being done.
Demi said: “Vinny was an amazing fiance, a loving dad and devoted family man. He was kind and helpful to everyone. He loved his little boy to pieces, he doted on him.
“He was from a big family in Ireland and had six brothers and seven sisters, and would always speak about their memories. Our lives are so empty without him, we cannot believe someone would just take him away.”