Dad of four battered to death with cricket bat as he looked for his children’s stolen bikes
Boy aged 16 is charged with murder
A ‘DEVOTED’ father was battered to death with a cricket bat after going out to find his stepchildren’s stolen bicycles, his family say.
Derek Whyteside, 42, was beaten unconscious in the street around a mile from his home and left to die.
He was found less than five hours after his partner, Michelle Wilson, had posted footage of the bike theft on social media.
The video clip showed a hooded youth wheeling two bikes along a road as a second youth, apparently wearing a school blazer, cycled slowly in front.
Mr Whyteside was taken to hospital and placed in an induced coma but died two days later. A 16-year- old boy has been charged with murder.
‘Derek was a loving and vibrant person, everyone knew and loved him,’ a relative said. ‘He was a cheeky chappy and he wasn’t perfect, but no one is. The bikes had been chained up outside the house and the thief was caught on CCTV. Derek confronted them.
‘From what we have been told he was hit on the head from behind and didn’t see it coming. He didn’t have a chance.’
Mr Whyteside, a former warehouse and factory worker, was taken to Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, Shropshire, but was flown by helicopter to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham after doctors realised how serious his injuries were.
Mr Whyteside took on his partner’s four children when they met eight years ago.
As he battled for life, Miss Wilson, 37, posted messages on social media willing him to pull through, until announcing the loss of ‘my love, my world’ after he died in the early hours of Wednesday.
Late on Monday morning, Miss Wilson had posted an appeal online after two teenagers were seen stealing a pair of mountain bikes from outside their home in Dawley in Telford. She wrote: ‘ Two boys have just stolen two bikes from outside my house. A black and grey Carrera boys mountain bike and a pink and black girls mountain bike.’
Just over an hour later, she posted the short video clip of the youths going off with the bikes.
Mr Whyteside was found in the Malinslee district of Telford at around 4.30pm that afternoon. Early the following morning his partner wrote that he was in an induced coma with a fractured skull and bleeding to the brain.
She said: ‘ Someone thought it would be OK to wrap a cricket bat round his head’, adding that he was also jumped on and punched. Speaking yesterday, Miss Wilson said she was ‘completely heartbroken,’ adding: ‘I just can’t talk about it. I only lost him the other day.’
In a statement, the family said: ‘Derek was a nice guy, he was loveable and could always see the best in people and if he considered you a friend he would strive never to let you down.
‘He would always be there for you and was very proud of his extended family.
‘He was a fab dad to his partner’s children, very protective, cheeky and loving and always meant well. He was Michelle’s world and was so good to her. He was a great brother too.’
Distraught neighbours yesterday paid tribute to Mr Whyteside.
One said: ‘Derek was a wonderful dad, completely devoted to his family. What looks to have happened is he found out somehow who took his kids’ bikes, tried to get them back and was battered to death for his troubles.
‘It’s absolutely horrifying to think he was killed over something like this. No one deserves to be left to die in the street. Michelle and the kids are in absolute bits. It’s an absolute nightmare and everyone round here is appalled and very angry about what has happened.’ Another talked of gangs roaming the neighbourhood who ‘believe that they are above the law’, adding: ‘There is very little parental discipline and the police are already run ragged. It’s getting worse and I know of people, particularly old folk, who are simply too scared to walk out their doors.’
Sharon Grainger, 43, a childhood friend of Miss Wilson, said: ‘Derek was a good bloke, polite. He and Michelle had been together a good few years, she has lost the love of her life. They had CCTV at the house so knew immediately who had taken the bikes, all he did was go and get them back. It’s crazy, just senseless.’ Kerry Gargett, 31, another friend, said: ‘Everyone’s in shock. Derek was a really nice guy. We bought our dog off him. Michelle is in bits.’ The case has chilling echoes of the death of Garry Newlove, the father of three who was beaten to death after trying to stop a group of teenagers vandalising his wife’s car 70 miles away in Warrington, Cheshire, 12 years ago. Last month, his widow called for laws to be introduced to protect victims during the criminal justice process. Speaking after it emerged that two of the three killers, Jordan Cunliffe, 26, and Stephen Sorton, 28, had been moved to an open prison in preparation for their potential release from jail next year, his wife Helen – now Baroness Newlove – described the Parole Board process as ‘ intimidating’. Baroness Newlove, who was appointed Victims’ Commissioner in 2012, said a victims’ law would afford them legal rights to be heard, to be informed and to challenge decisions.
Six people were arrested in relation to Mr Whyteside’s death.
West Mercia Police said a 16year- old boy was charged with murder and he appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. He was remanded in custody and will appear at Stafford Crown Court at a later date.
Two men arrested in connection with the incident have been released on police bail.
And a woman and two teenage boys have been released under investigation. Telford’s Neighbourhood Watch group set up the Just Giving page in support of the family which has raised £1,100.
‘Lost the love of her life’ ‘Left to die in the street’