An appeal for information into the murder of a Denton man nearly three decades ago has been reissued by police.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) says that anyone who comes forward with information that could help secure a conviction for the murder of Paul McGrath in 1997 will be eligible to receive a £50,000 award for their assistance – which was first offered back in 2020.
Paul – who was said to be “well-liked and respected” within his local community – had gone for a drink at the Dog and Partridge pub, on Ashton Road in Denton, on the evening of Sunday 6 April 1997, before returning home on his own just after midnight, and then being “brutally attacked” at some point during the night.
Police say the 34-year-old suffered 18 stab wounds in what they believe was a “frenzied and targeted attack”.
At around 7.30am the following morning, Paul’s body was found at the foot of the stairs of his home on Holland Street West, in Denton, after a workman who was walking past found the door slightly open and saw him lying dead just inside the hallway.
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Nearly 3 decades on, detectives continue to appeal to find out what happened to Paul McGrath & bring justice to a family who have been grieving for nearly 30 years.
Two men were arrested within two weeks of the murder, before going on trial in March 1998, but they were both acquitted following a lengthy trial.
Although through investigations over the years have established that Paul had “no known grievances”, detectives are still appealing to the Greater Manchester public for information into what happened that night, as they believe he was targeted due to one of his acquaintances being involved in an ongoing dispute.
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“We know there are people out there who are able to tell us what they know and what they saw all those years ago,” commented Detective Constable Matthew Sharkey, from GMP’s Cold Case Unit, as the appeal for information was reissued.
Police have reissued an appeal for information into the murder of a Denton man nearly 30 years ago / Credit: GMP
“Although it was nearly 30 years ago, you can’t just forget what you saw, it will be playing on the mind of someone who knows something, and I hope their conscience will allow them to speak to us after all this time.
“Please come and tell us the truth. Your information could help a grieving family know what happened to their beloved son and it is never too late to come forwards.”
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DC Sharkey said all of the work the police are doing is to get Paul’s mother to finally see her son’s killer or killers brought to justice, and to help the family finally come to terms with the death of their loved one.
Anyone with information regarding the murder of Paul McGrath is asked to contact GMP’s Cold Case Review Unit direct on 0161 856 5978, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
All information will be dealt in the “strictest confidence”.
Featured Image – GMP
News
Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
24-hour bus services are now running across all Greater Manchester boroughs
Emily Sergeant
24-hour bus services are now running across all boroughs in Greater Manchester.
You may remember that back in March, it was announced that every borough of Greater Manchester was set to get a night bus service in what is hoped to be a ‘boost’ to the night-time economy… and now it’s official, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has launched those 24-hour buses this month, along with a series of other measures.
Oldham, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford now join the rest of Greater Manchester in having 24-hour bus services, meaning every part of the region will have a night bus operating Thursday through to Sunday.
It’s expected that these new services will help around 625,400 people working in the night-time economy across Greater Manchester, as well as those out enjoying the region’s nightlife, TfGM has said.
The routes which will run around the clock from Thursday until Sunday are:
50 (Salford – Manchester)
216 (Tameside – Manchester)
263 (Trafford – Manchester)
192 (Stockport – Manchester)
83 (Oldham – Manchester)
All Greater Manchester boroughs now have 24-hour bus services / Credit: TfGM
They launch alongside the most significant service changes to the Bee Network since the completion of bus franchising last year – including other new bus routes, and more frequent services across Greater Manchester.
“We want everyone to be able to enjoy everything Greater Manchester offers, without the worry of how to get there and get home,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“By growing the Bee Network, we’re making it easier than ever for people to use the bus, day and night.
“Our night buses are already providing a lifeline to some of the hundreds of thousands of people who are growing our night-time economy and working in essential public services.”
“Whether people are heading home from a night at the theatre or starting the early shift at a hospital, they can now get on board the night bus as a safe and affordable way to travel.”
Further improvements will delivered from January 2027, and a full breakdown by borough can be found on the Bee Network website here.
Emily Sergeant -
21st October 2024 
