The first photograph of security officer Christopher Molloy, who was killed by two brothers and a 14-year-old kid who stomped the 55-year-old in the head as he lay unconscious during a gang attack last year, has been released.
The 15-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was found guilty of murdering Christopher Molloy, 55, along with two brothers in a July “gang attack” in the Bootle neighborhood of Merseyside.
Jay Byrne, 26, Joseph Byrne, 25, and the kid stood accused of murdering the 55-year-old at Liverpool Crown Court.
The two brothers were found not guilty by a majority of the jury on Thursday morning, but the teen was unanimously found guilty of murder.
The first portrait of security guard Christopher Molloy, who was killed in a gang attack by two brothers and a 14-year-old child last year, has been released.
On March 16 they will be sentenced for having previously admitted to manslaughter.
After Mr. Molloy was accused of ‘touching’ the teen defendant’s girlfriend, jurors heard that a dispute occurred between the group near a Burger King at 12:45 a.m. on July 12 of last year.
Jay Byrne, of Southport’s Leyland Road, reportedly hit or pushed Mr. Molloy, who then fled to the McDonald’s across the street and sought aid from workers ‘because he was concerned about what was happening and trying to obtain help’
The 55-year-old waited in the fast food restaurant’s entrance for several minutes before leaving; he was then pursued by Joseph Byrne, 25, of Linacre Road in Litherland, and the 14-year-old child.
CCTV footage of a second altercation filmed near the intersection of Stanley Road and Strand Road was presented in court.
Jay Byrne, age 26, admitted to Christopher Molloy’s manslaughter.
Joseph Byrne, age 25, also pleaded to manslaughter following Mr. Molloy’s savage assault.
Mr. Molloy was sent to the ground after the younger Byrne landed an extraordinarily powerful blow with his right fist.
The sufferer fell backwards and hit his head on the pavement, causing him to lose consciousness. As he lay helpless on the ground, the adolescent was then observed striking him in the face eight times.
Both attackers were shown on camera fist-bumping as they walked away in the direction of the NatWest bank. The boy returned shortly thereafter with 26-year-old Jay Byrne, who kicked Mr. Molloy in the head while he was unconscious.
The adolescent then delivered a second kick to the head, which was described as “particularly ferocious, comparable to kicking a football with great force.” Afterwards, a cab driver hailed down a patrolling police vehicle to report an unconscious man laying on the road.
In the meantime, another member of the public alerted a passing ambulance, and it became “immediately apparent that Mr. Molloy was gravely ill.”
As soon as he was placed in the back of the ambulance, he began to vomit. He had numerous scratches, bruises, and swelling to his face and head.
Just before 5 a.m., after being transported to the Walton Centre, he underwent emergency surgery.
However, Mr. Molloy had internal bleeding and fractures, and his life support was ultimately disconnected. A week after the assault, on July 19, 2022, the victim passed away.
Joseph Byrne said that he gave Mr. Molloy “a little slap to teach him a lesson” after being informed that he had been “grabbing the a***” of the teen’s girlfriend.
During cross-examination, however, he appeared to become upset with the youth, at one point turning to him and stating, “He did it, and he knows he did it,” before refusing to answer any additional questions from the prosecution.
Jay Byrne did not testify at the trial, but the boy testified that he had been copying a scene from the 1995 comedy picture Friday, namely when Chris Tucker’s character yells “you got knocked the f*** out.”
Before rendering Mr. Molloy unconscious, Joseph Byrne allegedly said, “Do you want to see a knockout punch?”
The adolescent claimed of the moment he kicked him to the ground, “I didn’t think.” I was simply imitating what Jay did.
When the guilty decision was delivered at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, January 19, the boy’s family exited the public gallery and he stormed out of the dock after slamming a door.
He also yelled “you fat ugly p****” at a judge during a rage-filled outburst after he was found guilty of murder.
Jay Byrne appeared to attempt to calm down his co-defendant by placing his face in his hands and saying “chill out, bro.”
Joseph Byrne was observed grinning as he was returned to his cell.
»Pictured-Murder of a security guard by two brothers and a 14-year-old boy who kicked his skull«