Teenager 'died after gang attack'

Teenager 'died after gang attack'

Gavin Hopley died in hospital six days after the attack

A teenager died after he was chased, kicked and punched by a gang of men in a "very frightening and completely unjustified attack", a court in Manchester has heard.

Gavin Hopley, 19, of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, died in February last year - a week after being attacked in the Glodwick area of Oldham.

Two men, Abdul Hafiz, 30, and Suleiman Hussain Mohammed, 35, both of Glodwick, went on trial on Monday charged with being a part of the gang which chased him and two youths.

A third man, Zallal Uddin, 19, also of Glodwick, appeared at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court charged with stealing a watch and necklace from Mr Hopley as he lay unconscious in the street.

Taxi search

The court was told how Mr Hopley had spent the night of Friday 8 February 2002, at Scruples nightclub in Oldham.

He had left in the early hours of the following morning and joined two youths in looking for either a taxi or a lift back to Rochdale, where all three lived.

After walking into the Glodwick area of the town, they approached a number of cars asking for a lift, including a Honda Civic.

Tim Holroyde QC, prosecuting, said: "All of a sudden the three young men began to run and they were chased by a group of Asians."

'Intent on violence'

That group included the four men in the Honda Civic as well as both Mr Hafiz and Mr Mohammed.

"Everyone involved in that chase was intent on violence against the three young white men running away," said Mr Holroyde.

He added: "We say it is perfectly clear that all three of them were the victims of a very frightening and completely unjustified attack in which they were heavily outnumbered."

One of the youths escaped and the other suffered minor injuries.

But Mr Hopley at some point fell to the ground. He was then kicked and punched and had some of his possessions stolen.

He was found a short time later, sprawled unconscious in the street.

Fatal injury

Uddin earlier pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods but denies theft. Mr Hafiz and Mr Hussein deny violent disorder.

Five other men - Mohammed Pongki Miah, Ruhel Miah, Foulmiah Mohammed, Habib Rahman, and Nizzam Uddin, all from Glodwick - pleaded guilty at the start of the trial to violent disorder.

The case against a sixth man, Mohammed Zabair, collapsed after the prosecution offered no evidence.

The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday.