Three convicted as Tyldesley murder ruled as case of mistaken identity

Tom, 30, died from multiple injuries at Charles Street in Tyldesley at about 1.30am on Saturday, September 25.

After an investigation lasting almost 18 months, Ben Dawber, 19, Kane Adamson, 19, and Joshua Prescott, 20, were convicted of his murder at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester on Thursday, February 16.

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Defendants involved in attempted robbery

The court heard how Dawber, Adamson and Prescott had been driving around Atherton and Tyldesley on the evening of September 24, 2021.  

At around 12.50am on September 25, Dawber and Adamson attempted to rob a man on Stanley Street in Atherton.

They demanded money and tried to grab the man’s house keys, but the incident stopped abruptly as the pair were disturbed by a neighbour who came out and shouted at them.

Separate incident leads to defendants looking for a man

An altercation outside the Lounge bar in Tyldesley led to the defendants looking for a man (Image: Google Maps)

Later that morning, a man approached a couple who had just left the Lounge bar on Castle Street in Tyldesley. Following a verbal altercation between the two men, one man was punched in the face.

Dawber, Adamson and Prescott were driving by and stopped the car besides those having the altercation causing the man who had thrown the punch to run away up the street.

The defendants decided to involve themselves by shouting to the man with his girlfriend, telling him to get in the car to seek out the male who had punched him. The four men then drove around the streets looking for the other male.

At around 1.25am they came across Thomas Williamson, who had been taking a walk to clear his head. He was almost home when he was mistakenly identified as the man who threw the punch earlier.

The man who had got in the car earlier, wanting to avoid further trouble, took the opportunity to leave the area.

Victim mistakenly identified and 'viciously attacked'

Dawber, Adamson and Prescott viciously attacked Mr Williamson, before leaving him for dead. He was found by police at 1.50am that morning.

Despite attempts at CPR at the scene, Mr Williamson sadly died from his injuries.

He had stab wounds to his neck, shoulder, and chest. The wound to his chest had penetrated through the edge of his left lung and into his heart.

There was also bruising to both his cheek bones and the left side of his jaw, along with two defensive wounds to the right hand and his right middle finger.

Dawber, Adamson and Prescott denied being involved in the murder but were found guilty following a four-week trial.

Adamson and Dawber pleaded guilty to the earlier attempted robbery on Stanley St Atherton.

Sentencing will take place on 14 March 2023 at Minshull Street Crown Court.

'Brutal, unprovoked, senseless attack on a stranger'

Nicky Moore, Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS North West’s Complex Casework Unit, said: “Dawber, Adamson and Prescott were out that night looking for trouble. They carried out a brutal, unprovoked and senseless attack on a stranger.

“The CPS worked with Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team to build a compelling case to place before the jury, including CCTV evidence, eyewitness testimony, mobile phone evidence and mobile phone positioning data to show the three were together before and after the murder. The jury found all three guilty of murder.

“My thoughts are very much with Thomas’s family. Nothing can bring him back, but I hope knowing Thomas’s attackers have been brought to justice will bring them some comfort at this difficult time.”