Man sentenced following death of Peter Hopwood

A man has been sentenced following the death of Peter Hopwood in Rochdale.

Lee Berns, 41, of Spruce Street, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and was sentenced to a hospital order with restrictions at Manchester Crown Court Crown Square on Monday (14 November 2011). 

Shortly after 11.00pm on Sunday 30 January 2011, police were called to the Salvation Army on High Street, Rochdale, following a report that a man had been assaulted nearby.

Hostel workers told officers that they had seen 67-year-old Peter Hopwood who lived nearby, assaulted by a former resident of the hostel Lee Berns. Berns had then gone to the hostel and assaulted a resident at the entrance, although not as seriously as Mr Hopwood. He had then made off.

Officers attended and discovered that Mr Hopwood had serious head injuries.

He was taken to hospital and died from his injuries at 5.30am the following morning.

Lee Berns was arrested at his home on Spruce Street shortly after but a doctor deemed him unfit for interview and he was detained under the Mental Health Act and taken to hospital.

He was charged with Mr Hopwood’s murder in June of this year.

Deputy Senior Investigating Officer Vinny Chadwick, based at Greater Manchester Police's Major Incident Team, said: "This was a completely unprovoked attack on an innocent man who was walking home after a night out at his social club.

“It was extremely unfortunate that he came across Mr Berns who at the time was suffering from a degree of mental illness.

"Peter lived alone, he had two brothers and a sister and was a well liked regular at the Brickcroft club."