Vigilante killers bundled dad into boot of Audi and left his mutilated body in road
Eight men are beginning jail sentences totalling more than 200 years after abducting and brutally murdering a former boxer.
Christopher Hughes' mutilated body was discovered on a country road on the outskirts of Skelmersdale[1] by a dogwalker after he was bundled into the back of an Audi and viciously attacked. The 37-year-old suffered nearly 100 separate injuries, having been hunted down by a vigilante gang who wrongly believed the dad had raped a teenager.
Seven men were convicted of kidnapping and murder following a lengthy trial at Liverpool Crown Court[2], while an eighth admitted the same charges. They were locked up for a combined total of 229 years after being handed life imprisonments in February this year, in one of the most shocking court cases heard during 2023.
John Elvidge KC, prosecuting, told a jury Mr Hughes was found dead at around 11am on February 22 last year on a grass embankment off White Moss Road South, near to junction four of the M58. He had suffered more than 90 injuries to his head, neck, body and limbs.
It was believed a weapon similar to a machete or a hatchet was wielded in a "chopping motion" to inflict a series of deep wounds on the victim. Mr Hughes had been bound and killed four days earlier on February 18 2022 after the defendants plotted a manhunt in the mistaken belief he had been responsible for raping a teenage girl at knifepoint behind a post office.
The vigilantes had driven around the Worsley Hall estate in Wigan the previous evening looking for him - even visiting and entering his house, although he was not present at the time. The father to a four-year-old girl was then cornered on Almond Grove at around 4.30pm the following day, being punched to the ground and bundled into the boot of an Audi A4 by Curtis Balbas and Erland Spahiu.
Curtis Balbas admitted murdering Christopher Hughes (Image: Greater Manchester Police)
The car then drove off with Martin Smith in the back, acting as a spotter, as Razgar Mohammed and Erion Voja patrolled nearby in a Mercedes. Thirty-year-old Balbas' vehicle then travelled to the Skelmersdale area at speed.
Razgar Mohammed was convicted of the murder of Christopher Hughes (Image: Greater Manchester Police)
CCTV footage captured the Audi entering White Moss Road South - a short walk over a motorway bridge from 34-year-old Spahiu's home on White Moss Road - shortly after 4.45pm and leaving 20 minutes later, the torturous attack having occurred in the intervening period. A "burial party" consisting of Dean O’Neill-Davey, Spahiu, Voja and Andrius Uzkuraitis returned to the scene under the cover of darkness and began digging a grave on nearby wasteland armed with items including shovels, rubber gloves and bin bags - several of the items having been purchased from an Asda[5] supermarket earlier that night.
But they were disturbed by the police, who happened to have been called to a crash in the vicinity, during this process. O’Neill-Davey was still "dressed in his grave digging kit", including a pair of wellies, when he was spoken to by officers but was ultimately allowed to go on his way as the burial attempt was abandoned.
Dean O'Neill-Davey was convicted of the murder of Christopher Hughes (Image: Greater Manchester Police)
The thugs then attempted to cover their tracks by destroying CCTV footage, changing their phones, deleting messages and disposing of the Audi. The car was taken to an industrial unit at Douglas Valley Mill, Standish, where it was cut into pieces and hidden away.
Balbas, of Matheson Drive in Wigan, pleaded guilty to murder and kidnapping. He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 34 years.
Seven other conspirators were found guilty of these counts and were also handed life imprisonments. His brothers-in-law 52-year-old Alan Jaf, 48-year-old Khalil Awla, 40-year-old Mohammed - who hail from the Kurdish region of Iraq - must serve at least 26, 26 and 27 years respectively.
Alan Jaf was convicted of the murder of Christopher Hughes (Image: Greater Manchester Police)
Jaf and Awla - of Ridyard Street and Greenwood Avenue in Wigan respectively - were the joint owners of M6 Motor Garage in the Greater Manchester town, where O’Neill-Davey also worked. The 30-year-old, of Conrad Close in Wigan, will spend a minimum of 25 years behind bars.
Khalil Awla was convicted of the murder of Christopher Hughes (Image: Greater Manchester Police)
Twenty-one-year-old Voja and Spahiu - cousins from Albania, the former having been visiting from his home on Peall Road in Croydon, South London - were given terms of 23 and 35 years respectively. Smith, aged 34 and of Greenwood Avenue in Wigan, was told he will serve at least 33 years.
Erland Spahiu was convicted of the murder of Christopher Hughes (Image: Greater Manchester Police)
Uzkuraitis, of Holly Road in Wigan, was acquitted of murder and kidnapping but convicted of assisting an offender. The 27-year-old was imprisoned for six years.
Mohammed, of Plane Avenue in Wigan, had also been the owner of a motoring business called Star Autos while Balbas and Spahiu had a shared business interest in a convenience store, Mini Express on Beech Hill Avenue. The pair were also said to have worked together repossessing vehicles.
Smith shook his head as he was sentenced, took a sip of water then threw his plastic cup to the floor. Meanwhile Voja ranted at the judge, saying: "I know myself.
Martin Smith was convicted of the murder of Christopher Hughes (Image: Greater Manchester Police)
"I'm no murderer. I'll get my justice one day you t***."
He continued his outburst after being led into the cells, where he reportedly began punching walls. Voja added: "I don't give a f*** any more."
Erion Voja was convicted of the murder of Christopher Hughes (Image: Greater Manchester Police)
Sentencing, Justice Mark Wall said: "The sense of outrage this allegation instilled in you all became a focused search for the culprit, in order to punish him. You spent the evening hunting down the man you thought responsible.
"It was persistent and organised. I have no doubt, had you found Mr Hughes that evening, he would have been attacked earlier than he was.
"I have no reason to doubt she was sexually assaulted. I have seen no evidence that Mr Hughes was responsible for any assault on her.
"I am prepared to accept that you all believed that allegation was true. But that belief does not begin to justify the attack on him."
Turning to Mr Hughes' kidnapping the following day, the high court judge said: "It was a slick manouvre, taking only a few seconds to achieve. It was done in broad daylight in sight of members of the public.
"You then took Mr Hughes to a quiet spot, where he was killed. The killing was brutal and, in part, sadistic.
"Over 90 separate stab or slash wounds were found on his body. They were inflicted with at least two weapons - a sharp knife and a machete, or something akin to it.
"The attack resulted in him receiving deep wounds and him bleeding to death. It would have been, for Mr Hughes, both humiliating and painful.
"The impact of the loss of Mr Hughes' life and the brutality of your attack has been made clear to me. Christopher's death is still keenly felt and obviously will be indefinitely into the future.
"He has left behind a young daughter who will grow up without knowing her father. Your acts were designed to circumvent justice and ensure your suspicions prevailed over fact.
"This is murder the seriousness of which is particularly high. It was a murder designed to obstruct or interfere with the course of justice."
Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here[6]
References
- ^ Skelmersdale (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Liverpool Crown Court (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ EncroChat dealer 'LivelyKnee's' bragging messages came back to haunt him (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Man charged £1k a minute after dropping passengers at Manchester Airport (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Asda (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)