20 January 2023 , 08:36
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A security guard who was battered to death in a gang attack has been pictured for the first time.
Christopher Molloy, 55, died followed the incident in Bootle Strand, Merseyside, on July 12 last year, with two brothers and a 15-year-old boy put on trial for murder.
Jay Byrne, 26, and Joseph Byrne, 25, were cleared of the charge by a majority of the jury yesterday and the teenager - who cannot be named for legal reasons - was unanimously convicted.
All three had earlier admitted manslaughter and will be sentenced on March 16.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how an initial altercation had erupted near a Burger King at around 12.45am after Mr Molloy was accused of "touching" the teen defendant's girlfriend.
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Jay Byrne, of Southport, was said to have either punched or pushed the stranger and then fled to a McDonald's opposite.
He sought assistance from staff "because he was concerned as to what was happening, trying to get help".
Mr Molloy was found lying unconscious in the street (Liverpool Echo)The victim remained in the doorway of the fast food branch for several minutes before walking away, at which point he was chased by Joseph Byrne, of Litherland, and the then 14-year-old, reports the Liverpool Echo.
A second confrontation was captured on CCTV footage which was played to the court.
It showed the younger Byrne "landing an extremely forceful punch" with his right hand, knocking Mr Molloy to the floor.
He fell backwards and "cracked his head on the pavement", rendering him unconscious. The juvenile was then seen repeatedly slapping him in the face, a total of eight times, as he lay helpless on the floor.
The take took place near a Burger King in Bootle (Liverpool Echo)Both attackers walked away, being caught on camera fist bumping as they did so. The boy returned shortly afterwards alongside Jay Byrne, who kicked a still unconscious Mr Molloy to the head.
The youth then delivered a second kick to the head, described as a "particularly ferocious kick, like kicking a football hard".
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.
Another member of the public had alerted the attentions of a passing ambulance, and it became "immediately obvious that Mr Molloy was extremely unwell".
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Mr Molloy died from his injuries in hospital several days after the attack (Liverpool Echo)He had a host of cuts, bruising and swelling to his face and head and began vomiting once placed in the back of the ambulance. After being rushed to the Walton Centre, he underwent emergency surgery shortly before 5am.
But 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.
Joseph Byrne said on the stand that he had given Mr Molloy "a little slap to teach him a lesson" after he was told that he had been "grabbing the a***" of the teen's girlfriend.
The defendants will be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court (Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)But the killer appeared to become angry with the youngster while under cross-examination - at one point turning to him and saying "he done it and he knows he did" - before refusing to answer any further questions from the prosecution.
Jay Byrne did not give evidence to the trial, but the boy said from the witness box that he had been imitating a scene from 1995 comedy film Friday - namely when the character played by Chris Tucker shouts "you got knocked the f*** out".
He also alleged that Joseph Byrne had asked "do you want to see a knockout punch?" before rendering Mr Molloy unconscious.
Of the moment he kicked him on the floor, the teen said: "I didn't think. I was just copying what Jay did."
Members of the 15-year-old's family left the public gallery when the guilty verdict was delivered at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday and the boy slammed a door as he stormed out of the dock.
Jay Byrne put his face in his hands and appeared to attempt to calm his co-defendant down, saying "chill bro".
Joseph Byrne was seen smiling as he was led back down to the cells.