Middleton man convicted of attempted murder

Stephen David Woolfall

A 26-year-old man who mercilessly beat another man into a coma after he invited him into his house has today, Thursday 27 March, been convicted of attempted murder.

Stephen David Woolfall (born 17/05/81) of Andover Avenue, Alkrington, Middleton, was found guilty of attempted murder at Bolton Crown Court following a three-week trial.

He was arrested in July 2007 after a 49-year-old man was severely assaulted in his home in The Meadows in Middleton.

Woolfall had been out drinking with a friend in a local pub on Friday 13 July 2007.

They left the pub at closing time after having consumed a large amount of alcohol, and decided to find somewhere to carry on drinking.

The pair met up with a group of three teenagers, and they went to the victim's house.

The 49-year-old, who was well known for his accommodating nature, let the group in, and they began drinking together.

After some time the teenagers decided to leave. They later told police this was because they felt Woolfall was being intimidating towards the victim.

During the course of the night, a neighbour of the victim heard raised voices and what sounded like a disturbance involving Woolfall and the victim.

At 3.15am one of the victim's friends arrived at his house to speak to him. He found the door open, and went he went inside where he found his friend with serious injuries.

He called an ambulance, and the 49-year-old was taken to hospital where he was treated for multiple compound fractures to his skull, broken ribs, punctured lungs and a brain haemorrhage.

He has never fully recovered from his injuries and needs round-the-clock nursing care.

Woolfall, who was also convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice after burning his clothes after the attack, will be sentenced on 16 May.

Detective Constable Wayne Hagan, from Rochdale CID, said: "Woolfall viciously attacked someone for fun after he had let them into his home as a friend. He purposely set out to seriously hurt somebody and is a thug.

“Although the victim will never fully get over what happened to him, I hope he can seek some comfort from today's conviction."

Another man who was also charged with attempted murder, James Edward McGarvey, born (27/01/86), of The Downes, Alkrington, was acquitted.