A man from Southport will be sentenced for manslaughter in March after his role in the murder of a security guard in Bootle
A 15-year-old boy has been found guilty of murder after he beat Christopher Molloy to death in an early hours gang attack near to Bootle Strand.
Southport resident Jay Byrne, along with brother Joseph Byrne of Litherland, and the boy have been on trial at Liverpool Crown Court charged with murdering the 55-year-old security guard.
Byrne, of Leyland Road Southport, was cleared of a murder charge by a majority jury this morning,
The teenager was unanimously convicted of murder by the jury.
All three had earlier admitted manslaughter, and will be sentenced on March 16.
The court heard an initial altercation between the parties erupted near to Burger King at around 12.45am on July 12 last year after Mr Molloy was accused of “touching” the teenage defendant’s girlfriend.
Jay Byrne was said to have either punched or pushed the stranger, who then fled to the McDonald’s opposite and sought assistance from staff.
The victim remained in the doorway of the fast food branch for several minutes before walking away, at which point he was chased.
A second confrontation near to the junction of Stanley Road and Strand Road was captured on CCTV where the victim suffered fatal injuries.
In the aftermath, a patrolling police car was flagged down by a taxi driver who reported that there was a man lying unconscious in the road.
Mr Molloy had suffered internal bleeding and fractures, and his life support was ultimately withdrawn. He died on July 19 2022, a week after the assault.
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