Two men (pictured) have been jailed for a total of 28 years for the brutal murder of Warren Burns.
Ryan White (29) of Valetta Close, was found guilty of murder and jailed for life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years.
Damian White (34) of Woodham Road was found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for 11 years.
New dad Warren was seriously assaulted at an address on Heysham Avenue in Withington, in May 2023. He passed away in hospital three days later, due to the catastrophic injuries inflicted upon him.
Greater Manchester Police received an urgent 999 call when the assault was taking place after a group of men entered the house uninvited. Warren’s partner and his ten-week-old son were in the house at the time.
Unconscious
Police attended and found Warren unconscious and not breathing, in an upstairs bedroom. He had severe facial injuries.
Despite CPR being performed, and Warren being placed in an induced coma at Salford Royal Hospital, he never recovered.
Investigating officers decided the attack was targeted and premeditated. Ryan White and Damian White had held a grudge towards Warren for a number of years.
In 2018 Warren had been on a night out with friends when Noel White (Ryan White’s brother) was killed. The man accused of murdering Noel was acquitted following a trial. The White family cut ties with Warren after this because they were unhappy with his witness account, which in their minds, had contributed to the man being found not guilty.
In May, an altercation took place between the White family and Warren’s family at Platt Fields Park festival in Fallowfield. This caused Ryan White and Damian White to go to Heysham Avenue looking for Warren.
CCTV enquiries established that two vehicles had been used by the men to travel to and from Heysham Avenue. The men were quickly identified and arrested and enquiries revealed that a number of calls were made between them before and after the attack on Warren which showed their planning and participation. Cell site evidence placed them in the vicinity of Heysham Avenue at the time of the assault.
Forensic evidence
The two vehicles used by the men were recovered by the police. The men also disposed of mobile phones, clothing and footwear and fled to Oldham and Stoke in an attempt to avoid apprehension.
Forensic examination of the house on Heysham Avenue determined that Warren had been subjected to a violent and sustained attack where he was punched, kicked to the head, and stamped on.
Senior investigating officer, detective inspector Louise Edwards said: “Warren had just welcomed his second child and was about to embark on life as a father of two. His life was cruelly taken away from him in a senseless act of sickening and unprovoked violence which happened in his partner’s home.
“Ryan White and Damian White went to Heysham Avenue to seek what they saw as revenge. They brutally assaulted Warren while his partner and baby son were in the house. Since their arrest, they have shown no regard for anybody other than themselves.
“I would like to thank Warren’s family, and in particular his partner, for their courage throughout this investigation. This tragic ordeal will be everlasting for them and my thoughts remain with them.
“I would also like to pay tribute to the witnesses who have assisted Greater Manchester Police in this investigation, and to the investigation team whose hard work helped secure convictions and sentences in this case”.
Family tribute
“Warren’s life wasn’t the only life destroyed on May 21, 2023. As a family, we are heartbroken and traumatised and cannot come to terms with why Warren died in such a violent and senseless way. Since May, our world has completely changed and is a much sadder place.
“There are no words that can express how Warren’s death has impacted upon our lives. Warren’s two children have lost their father and their lives have been changed forever. Warren’s life has been stolen from him and he will not be here to watch his children grow up and experience life. His son will grow up having never known his dad which is truly devastating. The grief and pain we have all felt since Warren died has been unbearable and we all miss him so much.
“The sentences imposed on Ryan White and Damian White will not bring Warren back or make our loss any easier, although we are happy that they can’t hurt anybody else. We will never forget Warren and the memories he has given us.”
