Southport Murders

All of us at Southport Reporter would like to pass on our deepest sympathies for the victims families.

Merseyside Police have issued us with this 

press statement.

 

"Merseyside Police has launched a murder inquiry in Southport into the deaths of two Hayton men, 36 year old Paul Hagan, and 40 year old Francis Perry.   

 

Mr Hagan, who has a partner who is five months pregnant and is the father of three other children, and Mr Perry, had both suffered serious head injuries.

The bodies o the two men were found in a ground floor flat number 1, at 6 Derby Road, Southport, at around 7:30am yesterday (Wednesday 18 June).   

The two men are believed to have spent Tuesday afternoon and evening visiting pubs in Southport town center with a friend who is the occupant of the flat on Derby Road where the men were found.  The three men were also with two women, one of whom lives in the flats, an her friend.

The men were separated from the occupant of the flat, but returned to Derby Road in the early  hours of the morning, possibly around 12:30pm.  Local residents have reported hearing noises and shouting during the night, which may be connected to the incident.

The men are believed to have been killed some time during the early hours of the morning, perhaps between 2am and 4am.  The occupant of the flat returned at around 7:30am the following morning, and found the men lying near to the sofa in the main room of the bedsit-type flat.

Dr. Brian Rodgera, the Home Office Pathologist, has conducted  post-mortems which revealed both died from severe head injuries, possibly caused by a blunt instrument.  Detectives have also confirmed that one of the men also had injuries consistent with having defended himself.  A baseball bat has been recovered from the scene and is being forensically examined.

Detective Superintendent John Kerruiah, who is leading the inquiry, is keeping an open mind about the motive.  Officers are today speaking with family and friends of the two men, in a bid to build a picture of their movements the evening before they died, but have appealed foe anyone who might know the men or have connection to the flats on Derby Road to come forward.

        

The victims photographs above Francis Perry &  Paul Hagan.

Detective Superintendent Kerruish said "This is an absolutely tragic waste of life.  These me were the victims of a frenzied attack, and I would urge anyone who can help us find those responsible to come forward.  We have spoken to both women and the occupant of the flat where the men were found, but we believe that there may have been others out with the group during the evening, which concluded in Waverley's Bar in Southport.  I would appeal for those people, or anyone who can help us build up a picture of Mr Hagan and Mr Perry's movements during the night, to speech to us.  We need to find out where they might have been, and who they might have spoken with.   We also have reports of noise from the flat during the early hours, and there were possibly cars coming and going at that time.  Again, I would ask anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious in the Derby Road area to contact us. We have spoken  to other occupants of the flats at 6 Darby Road, but we need to make sure we have spoken to everyone who lives in the flats, or who might have visited there recently.  At this time, I am open-minded about the motive.  I can't rule out the possibility that there was only on offender, but my experience tells me that there might have been two or more people responsible.  I urge anyone with information to contact us at the Incident Room at Southport on 0151 777 3573 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 55 11.""

Photographs by Phil. 

 

Incident Room at Southport 

 0151 777 3573