3 Jailed For Vicious Attack On Student From Barnsley

14 September 2012, 19:14 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

2 men and a woman have been locked up for robbing and beating a student from Barnsley and dumping him in a Manchester stream, unconscious.

27 year old Michael Brownlie and 22 year old Nicholas Lindsay both from Longsight pleaded guilty to attempted murder and robbery and got 18 years each. 18 year old Katie Mongan from Mount Road, Longsight got 7 years for robbery and assault. 

First year University of Manchester student 19-year-old Daniel Whiteley ended up in the same Fallowfield takeaway as Mongan, Brownlie and Lindsay after a night out . They had been drinking in a nearby park all day. 

Afterwards as he walked home near Platt Fields park they stole his wallet and phone and beat him until he gave them his pin number. They repeatedly kicked and punched Daniel's head and body leaving him with life threatening injuries before throwing him unconscious, down an embankment into icy cold water at the bottom of a culvert. 

They then ran from the park and took £250 cash from an ATM with his card, and spent money in an off-licence. 

Daniel was spotted by a passing cyclist in the early hours and taken to hospital with horrific injuries, including bleeding and swelling to his brain and other multiple injuries to his body. His head had been stamped on so hard that the imprint of a shoe sole could clearly be seen on his forehead. Surgeons had to remove part of his skull in order to relieve the swelling. 

Detective Inspector Terry Crompton from GMP’s Major Incident Team said: I can’t begin to imagine how Daniel must have felt on that night, as these three callous individuals dragged him to a secluded area of the park, subjected him to this horrific assault, robbed him and then threw him down a culvert with no second thought as to what would happen to him. 

"If Daniel hadn’t been found early that morning, it is highly unlikely he would have survived this attack."

Daniel's dad Michael said: "On behalf of Daniel, his family and friends I would like to pay tribute to all those who contributed to saving his life. Their skill and dedication means this remarkable, courageous young man is still with us today, despite the actions of the three people who he had the misfortune to encounter following his night out with friends."