The sister of a murdered busker has tearfully paid tribute to the "funny, quick-witted and highly intelligent" musician.
Adrian Swift reported to paramedics that he had been beaten with a bat and pushed down the stairs by housemate Cheryl O'Callaghan during an assault at their home on Bishopsgate Street in Wavertree, also telling a 999 call that he had been "battered s***less". He died aged 57 the following day as a result of his injuries. He later told a taxi driver after discharging himself from hospital that he had been in the "wrong place at the wrong time".
O'Callaghan's boyfriend Steven Hardaker and a fourth housemate, Adam Oldland, colluded to tell a "cowardly" string of untruths to the emergency services in a desperate cover up following the brutal attack, with their web of lies also including a false claim that Mr Swift had suffered his injuries during a fall. All three were jailed at Liverpool Crown Court this week.
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The victim's sister read out an emotional statement to the court during their sentencing hearing on Friday. In it, Rachel Swift described how the talented musician had often busked around Liverpool city centre and was proud to call himself a great uncle.
She added: "Ade and I grew up with a happy, fun-filled family life. Ade excelled throughout school.
"After leaving school, Ade and I would go out socialising with friends, laughter always surrounding us.
"Ade had a fantastic character. He was funny, quick witted, highly intelligent and a self-taught musician.
"Music was his passion. He had a talent for every instrument you could think of.
"Ade unfortunately encountered bouts of addiction throughout his life.
"This wasn’t his constant life, he could fight his demons. When sober, he was a family-orientated person who adored his family and close friends.
"Our family and friends are truly devastated. His life ended in a horrific and tragic way - no one should ever have to go through that pain."
Ms Swift held back tears as she finished by saying: "You will be forever missed and always loved. May you now rest in peace with mum and dad."
A trial previously heard that Mr Swift had "led a life afflicted by addictions to alcohol and drugs" and by the time of his death was "frail, unwell and vulnerable". Alex Leach KC, prosecuting, told jurors that in March 2021 he had been living at the address with O’Callaghan, Hardaker and Oldland.
On March 23 that year, the day before his death, he was taken to hospital after a 999 call in which he told the operator he had been "battered s***less". Mr Swift also stated to paramedics that 46-year-old O'Callaghan, of Stanton Crescent in Kirkby, had beaten him with a bat and pushed him down a flight of stairs.
The following morning, he discharged himself and returned to the property despite sustaining "serious facial and bodily injuries". Three hours later, Oldland - of Sunnyside, Sefton Park - alerted the emergency services to his death.
The 51-year-old, O'Callaghan and Hardaker "all gave an account of Mr Swift having suffered the injuries that took him to hospital as a result of a fall down some stairs". They also stated that he had been discovered submerged underwater in the bath.
But paramedics found that he was "not soaked through", the tub was dry and there was no water collected in his mouth or eye sockets. The court was played a series of 999 calls made by those involved.
The first was lodged by Oldland shortly before 3.45pm on March 23, although he then "appeared to change his mind" and said: "Do you know what, it doesn't matter. He's not sure if he wants to go or not, can I phone you back in a minute?"
The phone was passed to Mr Swift, who told the handler "I've been battered s***less". Oldland then terminated the call.
The North West Ambulance Service phoned back, with one minute and six seconds elapsing before Hardaker - also 51 and of Aigburth Drive in Sefton Park - answered. But he gave a false name of Dean Beveridge and stated: "No-one's been assaulted love, no-one's been assaulted."
Merseyside Police then rang after being alerted to the events by NWAS. Oldland picked up this time and said: "I've just come back and I've seen my mate.
"I wasn't here, but I think he's fallen down the stairs. I'm not sure.
"He's got a bruise on his face. He wants to go into the hospital."
The phone was then given to Mr Swift, who also told officers that he had fallen. But once alone in the back of an ambulance with paramedics, he said he had been hit with a bat and pushed down the stairs - adding "it was the female".
When medics attended, they were shown upstairs to a darkened room where Mr Swift was sat drinking with two other men - one of whom said he was called Tom. The emergency services workers were told that "the bulbs had gone" and had to examine him by torchlight, noting "significant injuries to the right side of his face".
O'Callaghan had told the paramedics that their "attendance was a waste of time" and that Mr Swift was "just an alchy who had fallen down the stairs". As he was leaving for hospital, she became "verbally aggressive towards him" and said: "I'm not going to be here when you get back.
"I'm going back to Kirkby. You only fell down the stairs, you're an alchy."
Before Mr Swift was taken away for treatment, two men knocked on the door of the ambulance and said: "He's fallen down the stairs. He's ok, he doesn't need to go to hospital."
The deceased subsequently told doctors he had "been assaulted by his housemate" and recalled waking on the floor with his injuries. When spoken to by police, he declined to make a formal complaint and said he did not intend to return to the house.
But, shortly before 8.30am on March 24, Mr Swift discharged himself and took a taxi back to Bishopsgate Street. He told the driver that he "had been beaten up by some drunk fella and that he’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time".
Upon arrival, Oldland came out of the property in order to pay the fare. He told the cabbie: "Well he shouldn't have racially abused her - he deserved it."
At around 11.30am, Oldland rang NWAS again and reported Mr Swift's death. He said during this nine-minute call: "The patient's dead.
"He's just gone upstairs and had a bath. I checked on him twice.
"I checked on him again and he was underwater. He's gone."
As instructions to perform CPR were being given, Oldland added: "Listen mate, he's gone. He's gone mate, he's drowned.
"I can't do it mate, I can't do it. He's f***ing dead.
"There's water coming out. There's water coming out."
O'Callaghan wiped her tears away with a tissue as she was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years, having been unanimously convicted of murder by a jury last month. Hardaker and Oldland both admitted perverting the course of justice and were handed for 25 months each.
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