New appeal in hunt for killer
DETECTIVES are still searching for three people they believe could help solve Robert Hart’s murder at Parklife Festival.
Robert, from Rainow, died after being punched to the ground while defending his girlfriend, Gemma, at the Heaton Park music festival two months ago.
Officers hunting the 26-year-old’s attacker launched an appeal and released images of 12 festival-goers in the area of the attack, which took place at around 9.15pm on Saturday, June 8.
Nine of the revellers pictured have now been identified, but police are still trying to find three.
The former Fallibroome Academy student died in hospital on Wednesday, June 11 – five days after the assault which left him with a bleed to the brain.
Gemma had been repeatedly struck with an inflatable doll and Robert stepped in to protect her.
Last month, GMP released an aerial photograph showing where the attack took place, to the right of the main stage, along with an e-fit of a suspect. The man is described as mixed-race, in his mid 20s, around 6ft 1in tall and of muscular build.
The detective leading the investigation into Robert’s death also said he believes ‘the net is closing in’ on his killer.
An appeal to identify the man who punched Robert at the festival was aired on Crimewatch late last month, generating a huge response.
DI Eales, who is leading the investigation, said: “We’ve had a large response and it will take a while to sift through that, but I would like to think the net is closing in and hopefully we will identify him (Robert’s killer).
“We have identified around half of the people whose photos were shown and a couple rang Crimewatch directly and said ‘that’s me’.
The killer had short dark hair, which was shaved at the sides, and was wearing a dark coloured, waistlength jacket and dark coloured shorts.
Richard Hart, 30, Robert’s brother, has also made an appeal directly to a woman thought to be his killer’s girlfriend to break her silence and give his name to police. He made the appeal to a woman seen pulling away the man who delivered a devastating punch leading to Robert’s death.
She is described as white, 5ft 7ins tall, blonde, in her early 20s and was wearing a pink t-shirt. It is thought she is likely to hold key information to the killer’s identity and whereabouts.
In appeal last month, Richard, a business manager who lives in Macclesfield, said: “There are four children asking where their uncle Robert is.
“I don’t know if this woman is definitely this man’s girlfriend.
“But if she is, I’d ask – how could you lie there next to him at night, thinking about it? It’s a big step for somebody to speak out, but how long can she keep walking down the street with him, knowing this? She could be watching a film with him or going for a meal, but how long until this comes out?
“People around this man will know it was him.
“I think if it was me or my brother, I would hand him in or vice versa – but it wouldn’t be necessary because we would do it ourselves.”
Crimestoppers has added £3,000 to the £20,000 reward offered by Parklife organisers for information leading to a conviction.
Anyone with information can contact the incident room on 0161 856 9283 or email images to mit. syndicate8@gmp.police. uk.