A £50,000 reward to catch festival killer TV appeal made nearly a decade after fatal attack
AREWARD of £50,000 has been offered in a TV appeal to catch the killer of a Macclesfield man who was attacked at a musical festival.
Robert Hart, a former Fallibroome Academy pupil, was 26 when he was fatally punched at the Parklife event, in Heaton Park, Manchester.
The reward, payable for information that leads to conviction, was announced on the BBC’s Crimewatch Live on Friday, 10 years on from the tragic incident.
Robert was attacked on June 7, 2014, after he stepped in to protect his girlfriend, who was hit with an inflatable.
He died as a result of injuries a few days later.
The appeal featured moving interviews with members of his family including mum Elaine, brother Richard and sister Nicola.
Elaine said: “We have still not come to terms with it, that Robert won’t come walking through the door with his jokes and his warmth and his laughter.
“Robert loved music and played his guitar all the time – music was the reason he went to Parklife.
“He didn’t go to Parklife for anything other than for his love of music.
“I visit him every week in Macclesfield Cemetery – he shouldn’t be there, he should be here, enjoying and living his life to the full with a family of his own.“
Robert had gone to Parklife with girlfriend Gemma Parry and three friends.
He had got a ticket for her as a surprise.
She had been hit with an inflatable doll and in a scuffle was knocked to the floor.
Seconds later Robert was lying next to her.
Gemma said: “We were pretty much inseparable since the day we met. He was my best friend and he never let me down.”
Robert was punched by a man who is described as mixed race, in his mid20s, around 6ft to 6ft 2in tall, of muscular build with short, dark hair which was shaved at the sides.
Greater Manchester Police, whose major crime review team made the reappeal, say the attacker may have been with several people.
These include an unknown woman believed to be white, in her mid-20s with blonde, shoulder-length hair, around 5ft 7ins tall and possibly wearing a pink t-shirt.
Detective Inspector Madeline Kelly said: “Even though this terrible incident was almost 10 years ago, it will still be fresh in the minds of many people, especially Robert’s family. Despite the passing of time, the heartache felt by Robert’s family has not faded. Just as we were in 2014, we are determined to catch the person responsible.
“We are appealing for people to dig deep into their consciences – it you were one of the people involved on the day we would urge you to come forward.
“Allegiances and friendships will have changed so if anyone has any information they can report it to police in confidence.”
Police would like those at the festival to share their photos and videos, especially people who were around the main stage at around 9pm between sets from Rudimental and Snoop Dogg.
Anyone who can help can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Information can also be sent to HelpBobby@gmp. police.uk. In 2015, a coroner ruled that medical failings were partly to blame for Robert’s death.
Coroner Nigel Meadows ruled he was ‘unlawfully killed’ but added that failures in medical care, including the misinterpretation of a CT scan revealing a serious head injury, also contributed to his death.