The mother of Luke O’Connor, a 19-year-old undergraduate student who was stabbed to death in Fallowfield, has issued a powerful video statement through police as her son’s killer is jailed.
Shiloh Pottinger, 20, was sentenced to 15 years in jail for manslaughter on Monday 19 June.
He will serve at least 10 years of that sentence behind bars before he can be considered for release.
Manchester Crown Court heard how Luke had been travelling home from a party in the early hours of Wednesday 26 October 2022, when he came across and was stabbed multiple times by Pottinger.
Luke was left in the street, on Wilmslow Road, where he died despite CPR efforts from emergency services that were flagged down by members of the public.
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His mother Carolyn has now spoken about the devastation the O’Connor family faces in the wake of the death of their youngest son.
She said that Pottinger’s sentence ‘in no way compares to our life sentence’, and insisted that her son will not have died in vain.
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Carolyn pleaded for people not to carry knives and to speak out against those who do.
Watch Luke O’Connor’s mother pay tribute to her son:
She said in a video released through GMP: “Luke was my lively, bubbly, and beautiful little boy. He was the youngest of three boys in our family, and he was loved by so many people.
“He was a student at university and he loved the freedom of living in Manchester.
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“He’d gone to a party that night like any other student, and was simply walking home. But he never made it.
“Luke was 19 years old and he had his whole life ahead of him. He had big dreams for his future and wanted to travel the world.
“But now those dreams can no longer happen.
“The person who snatched Luke from us will serve his time in jail, but he will still be able to see his family again. His family will not have to suffer in the way that we have.
“I will never see my son again, and our family has been left with a hole in our hearts that will never be filled.
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“We cannot lose Luke for nothing, and if we can prevent this from happening to someone else, and encourage people not to carry knives and to actually think about the consequences, then his death will not be in vain.
Luke O’Connor was stabbed to death at the age of 19. Credit: GMPShiloh Pottinger has been jailed for the murder of Luke O’Connor. Credit: GMP
“Knife crime is not just gang-related violence. This is happening on our streets as some think it’s normal to carry a knife. It’s not normal. If you know someone is carrying a knife, do the right thing, and speak out or report it to the police.
“Too many young lives are being taken and it has to stop.
“If there had been no knife that night, my Luke would still be with us, and I would not be here today.”
Detective Sergeant Laura Murray of GMP’s Major Incident Team said: “Luke was just 19-years-old when he was stabbed and killed on his way home. His parents have gone through something that no parent should have to go through.
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“From the outset, the investigation team has worked tirelessly to secure the best possible outcome. I’m pleased the offender has been served a jail sentence however it will not bring Luke home to his family.
“Had Shiloh Pottinger not been carrying a knife that night, then Luke would not have died. This case shows very clearly the tragic consequences that come from carrying knives.
“Many other lives have also been ruined – those of family and friends.
“The police are working hard to tackle knife crime, but we need help. We need parents and teachers to challenge the idea that it’s acceptable to carry knives. And if you know or suspect a friend of yours is carrying a knife, you need to call out that behaviour.
“I’d now like to speak directly to anyone out there who carries a knife. Please I urge you to put it down before it’s too late. It will cost you your life.”
Featured image: GMP
News
Pat Regan at the Fairfield Social Club – a brilliantly unhinged evening of standup comedy
Clementine Hall
There’s a particular kind of chaos that only Pat Regan can deliver, and the recently re-recognised Fairfield Social Club got the full force of it last night.
Making his Manchester debut as part of the ‘A Lovely Time’ series at the equally as lovely Fairfield Social Club, the New York comic, writer, and podcast host arrived with the energy of someone who had already lived through three emotional breakdowns before breakfast and somehow still had the worst to come.
Known for his work on HBO’s Hacks and the cult-favourite podcast Seek Treatment with fellow comic Catherine Cohen, Regan’s stand-up feels less like your traditional comedy set and more like being trapped in the world’s funniest group chat.
The perfectly intimate room beneath Fairfield’s railway arches was packed with adoring fans who were immediately on side as Regan launched into stories about traumatic trips to Paris, Grindr dates, massage tables and having crushes at the gym.
The audience was in the palm of his slightly sweaty hands (don’t worry, he’ll be fine with me saying so), laughing at every awkward punchline and self-deprecating anecdote.
The material is nothing groundbreaking, but this is what makes it so deeply hilarious; never before has shopping for the perfect pair of jeans been so serious and unserious at the same time.
There was laughter rolling through the venue for virtually the entire set, and after an hour of never-ending quips and jokes, we were left wanting more.
And the best part is, it won’t be long until we get more from this place, and it’s no wonder they’re starting to get the hosting plaudits they deserve.
It’s safe to say Fairfield Social Club has become one of Manchester’s most exciting homes for alternative comedy, and this felt like exactly the sort of booking that justifies its growing reputation.
By the time Regan left the stage, the audience looked equal parts exhausted and delighted. An absolutely classy evening indeed.
Find out about what else is on at the Fairfield Social Club HERE.
First-ever JD Wetherspoon pub to open at Manchester Airport
Danny Jones
In news that we feel many Mancs and travellers all-round have been waiting on for a long time, the well-known British chain, JD Wetherspoon, will be opening its first-ever pub at Manchester Airport.
That’s right: soon that first airport pint of the holiday could actually be a relatively cheap one.
While Wetherspoons are no strangers to popping up in terminals across the UK and Ireland, they’ve never done so here in Manchester despite having three, yes THREE, in Gatwick alone.
Not for much longer, though, as soon T2 will be lending more than 3,000 square feet of its prime leisure and retail real estate to a new Greater Manchester ‘Spoons’.
Posting on social media, the airport wrote: “Wetherspoon comes to Manchester Airport this September! The pub will be located in the Terminal 2 Departures lounge and will have more than 300 seats.
“This will become the final major food and drink venue to open its doors as part of our decade-long £1.3bn transformation of Terminal 2. It will be named ‘The Belle Vue’, in a nod to Manchester’s historic showground [now a sports complex and leisure hub].
“It was a focal point for social life in the city from the Victorian period up until 2020, when the final event was held at Belle Vue stadium. The design of the pub is inspired by the history of Belle Vue and the sporting culture of the North West of England. We look forward to welcoming you all in September!”
While a lot of money has been pumped into T2’s refurb as a whole over the past few years, it remains unclear just how much this particular new addition will cost; we do know that great sums were set aside for the launch of the Great Northern Market last year.
The inaugural Manchester Airport Spoons is just the latest in a series of major renovations.
As mentioned, the company already operate several up and down the country – 10 airport pubs, to be specific – but this will be the first in the North West.
Speaking on the news, JD Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson said in a statement: “We are looking forward to opening at Manchester Airport. We believe our new pub will prove popular with travellers of all ages and be an asset to the new terminal.”
With Manchester Airport adding a dozen new routes to its roster this summer, you can expect to see even more people flying in and out than ever – no doubt having already polished off a cut-price pint or two beforehand.
Daisy Jackson -
19th June 2023 
