CCTV which caught three teen killers luring a vulnerable dad to his death has been rolled out across a Greater Manchester borough.
Chilling footage showed Liam Bailey, 19, Liam O'Brien, 17, and Harry Maher, 16, leading Scott Anderton to a secluded stretch of a Leigh canal before stabbing him 35 times. He was then shoved into the water and left to die.
Mr Anderton, 33, tried to pull himself back up by grabbing onto the bank, but soon lost consciousness and slipped back into the canal. They had spotted their victim alone in Leigh town centre during the early hours of March 25, last year, when Mr Anderton had been carrying a plastic bag and was wearing only one shoe.
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CCTV that proved vital in solving his murder has been the catalyst to invest in more cameras across the borough. Wigan Council has pumped £500,000 into the security system which was a crucial tool in catching the killers of Scott Anderton last year.
The trio were all jailed for their roles in the brutal killing after a five-week trial at Manchester Crown Court in November 2021. Bailey, of Diamond Street, Leigh, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 23 years and four months. Maher, of Green Lane, Standish, was also jailed for life and must serve at least 16 years before he is eligible for parole.
O'Brien, of Schofield Street, Leigh, was ordered to serve 10 years in prison. For Coun Kevin Anderson, portfolio holder for Police, Crime and Civil Contingencies, this CCTV funding commitment is a ‘personal victory’. The funding will go towards increasing the number of cameras and improving the imagery.
“We hope with the investment it makes people feel safer,” Coun Anderson said. “For me the murder stuck in my mind to show the importance of good CCTV and how it can help - and we got the convictions at Manchester Crown Court as a result.
“CCTV acts as more of a deterrent and a warning for those doing things against the law. We've had a difficult period of time with the pandemic.
"There seems to have been a rise in terms of aggressive behaviour and letting off steam and that can boil over to something worse.”
Since 2019, there have been 118 extra CCTV cameras installed across the borough, with 52 of those coming to Leigh. A further 25 were installed in Platt Bridge, five at Chapel Lane Car Park, 30 on Standishgate in the town centre and six at Haigh Hall.
The council also issued 31 Rapid Deployment Cameras in this time. This was to support teams fighting anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping.
“Our CCTV network has undergone a major expansion as part of our multi-agency approach to preventing crime and anti-social behaviour across Wigan Borough,” Coun Anderson continued. “Most recently the council invested almost £500,000 into our CCTV network, with £56,000 going on improving the network in Platt Bridge and a further £420,000 earmarked for new and upgraded cameras in Wigan, Leigh, Ashton and Pemberton.
“State-of-the-art CCTV cameras have also been placed at well-known fly tip hotspots, including in Ince, Platt Bridge, Hindley. Last year Leigh West was also awarded a share of the Safer Streets Fund and additional CCTV cameras were a key part of this £500,000 scheme.
“The expansion of our CCTV network will continue following our latest successful bid to the Safer Streets Fund which awarded the council with almost £750,000 to improve safety and deter anti-social behaviour in Platt Bridge and Scholes. This investment is in addition to many great initiatives being overseen by the Place and Community Safety Partnership, which aims to ensure Wigan Borough is a safe place to live and work for us all.”
This commitment to night time safety was something that helped get Wigan town centre Purple Flag Status. This is the recognition of excellence in the evening and night-time economy - a place that is diverse, vibrant, safe, attractive and welcoming.
In addition to this commitment, Coun Anderson is excited about the relaunch of the neighbourhood watch initiative across the borough in order to increase public involvement in preventing crime. It is hoped this will improve public engagement with police and appeals to help solve crimes.
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