Manchester student Luke O’Connor, who was stabbed to death in Fallowfield when his killer reacted “violently and unpredictably” to a joke, is to be honoured with a posthumous award by his university.
The 19-year-old, who was an undergraduate student in his second year of a Business Management degree at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) before he lost his life at the hands of fellow student, Shiloh Pottinger, is to be remembered and honoured by the university at their upcoming graduation ceremonies this summer.
20-year-old Pottinger, a student at the BIMM Institute, was found to have stabbed O’Connor eight times with a “mafia stiletto” knife in Fallowfield during the early hours of the morning on Wednesday 26 October 2022.
Manchester Crown Court heard this week how “gentle giant” O’Connor had been travelling home from a party when he came across and was stabbed multiple times by Pottinger.
Shiloh Pottinger has been sentenced to 15 years in jail for manslaughter / Credit: GMP
Pottinger was said to have reacted “violently and unpredictably” to a joking remark made about his skateboard, before attacking and leaving O’Connor lying in the street on Wilmslow Road – where he later died despite the best CPR efforts from emergency services that were flagged down by members of the public.
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Pottinger was sentenced to 15 years in jail for manslaughter this week (Monday 19 June), and will serve at least 10 years of that sentence before he can be considered for release.
Following Pottinger’s sentencing this week, Luke’s mother Carolyn appeared in a harrowing video message and spoke about the devastation the O’Connor family faces in the wake of the death of their youngest son, claiming Pottinger’s sentence “in no way compares to our life sentence”.
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Carolyn insisted that her son will not have died in vain – and it appears MMU wants to help with that.
Any students affected can contact our Counselling, Mental Health and Wellbeing Service via email at [email protected] or telephone on 0161 247 3493.
Paying tribute to their former student, an MMU spokesman described O’Connor as a “bright, talented and much-loved” member of the university community, the BBC reports.
“His death was a terrible shock to everyone,” they added.
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“Our professionally trained counselling team has continued to offer support to any students and staff who are affected”.
The University says it has told the O’Connor family that they will honour Luke and intend to “recognise his work and contribution to the university” with a posthumous award at one of the upcoming graduation ceremonies next month.
The O’Connors have been invited to the ceremony to receive the award on Luke’s behalf.
Featured Image – GMP
News
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Emily Sergeant -
21st June 2023 
