A community hit by a drugs war which spiralled out of control and led to the killing of an innocent man have spoken out on how their area has rebuilt. The murder of businessman Michael Anton O'Connor still sends shivers down the spine of local residents in The Meadows - and neighbours living in the area remember waking to police cordons on November, 2021.
Mr O'Connor died after he was stabbed once with a knife in the chest, which went into his heart, in Wilford Crescent West, The Meadows. And nine people have been found guilty of the murder of the 31-year-old businessman.
After two days of the judge summing up the case, 10 jurors - five men and five women - went away to deliberate in private at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday (May 17) at 10.40am. Verdicts were delivered on June 12 and those found guilty unanimously of murder were: Benjamin Taylor, 37, of Monton Road, Eccles, Manchester; Leonard Ward, 41, of Marwood Road, Carlton; Joseph Boscombe, 39, of Rostherne Avenue, Manchester; Joshua Agboola, 28, of Leven Grove, Darwen, Blackburn; and Carla McGuire, 51, of Wilford Crescent West, The Meadows.
