horses

Fifteen year old killed

The Death of Johnny Delaney

Johnny, a fifteen year old Irish Traveller, was tragically killed in a racist attack in Ellesmere Port in 2003. His death was very similar to that of Stephen Lawrence and the Cheshire Police investigated the his death as a racially motivated crime.

We would like to thank Johnny’s family for giving us permission to place this story on our web site in the hope that it will stop another family from going through the pain and suffering they have since this terrible murder. We hope that schools will use this information and the posters provided by Liverpool City Council to promote equality and break down some of the negative myths and stereotyping that led to this dreadful act.

Download posters here.

Christopher Vospa QC, prosecuting, had said that Johnny died after a clash with a group of five youths on playing fields in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, last May. He had left his home on a Travellers' site in Liverpool to meet friends and family on an unofficial site in Ellesmere Port.

He was attacked as he returned there after going shopping with four friends. The group ran away but Johnny, tripped and fell. Mr Vospa claimed the defendants had then kicked Johnny in the head as he lay on the ground, causing brain injuries from which he died at the Countess of Chester hospital in Chester.

Unfortunately despite evidence from reliable witnesses that heard racial abuse during and after the incident. One defendant, after jumping on Johnny’s head, was heard to say that he had deserved it as ‘he was only a f…… Gypsy’. The judge, Mr. Justice Richards, found the two sixteen year old boys guilty of manslaughter and sent them to prison for four and a half years.

Johnny’s father , Patrick, was very disappointed with the verdict, saying,

"There is no justice here. They were kicking my son like a football. Are they going to let this happen to another Gypsy? Every Travelling person is going to be upset at this verdict. As far as we are concerned it was a racist attack. I have lost my son for life. This has left a big hole in our family. He was a very polite lad who never did anything wrong. He didn’t deserve this"

Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality responded to Johnny Delaney’s verdict saying:

"There has been some measure of justice in this ruling, though it is extremely hard to see how this particular killing wasn't motivated in some way by racial prejudice. It would be most disturbing if the attack wasn't considered racially motivated because the victim wasn't black or Asian. The extreme levels of public hostility that exist in relation to Gypsies and Travellers would be met with outrage if it was targeted at any other racial group."

Credits

Thanks to John Cole from the Liverpool Traveller Education Service for all his help in arranging this both with the family and the City Council.

The Johnny Delaney material was provided by Liverpool Education, Library and Sports Services.

Posters written and produced by Ann Moore (Senior Effectiveness Officer for Humanities).

Also read about

Connors vs the UK

Judgement from the European Court of Human Rights on Travellers. Leeds Travellers, Jim and Esther Connors, in standing up for their rights have won a major case at the European Court of Human Rights, which will benefit all Travellers in the UK.

More

 

Top of page    Mail page    Print page