Man handed life sentence for murder of flatmate in Oldham

A man who killed his flatmate after a night of drinking in Oldham has been handed a life sentence.

Lee Francis Burns, 38, of Worsley Street, Oldham, will spend at least 20 years in prison for the violent murder of 45-year-old Vincent McDonagh, who was known to his loved ones as 'Vinny'.

The pair had enjoyed an evening out together, before a verbal fight turned physical on Abbey Hills Road in Oldham on 9th November 2023.

During the trial, the court heard how Mr McDonagh had leant Burns £20 to buy drinks at a local pub, where they'd played pool and were seen to fall out, before shaking hands.

As the night went on, Vinny and Burns continued drinking and left the pub, apparently "in good spirits" at around 10.50pm.

CCTV footage showed both men walking in the direction of their home address, before another verbal altercation took place where it continued before becoming physical.

Burns threw a punch, which connected with the arm of Vinny and caused him to slip and fall to the floor. Vinny tried to protect himself, using his leg as a shield, but the attack continued.

Burns knocked Vinny unconscious before inflicting further punches and stamps to the head.

Burns left the area and headed for home where he said to a neighbour ‘I think I’ve killed Vinny, I’ve stamped on his head’, all while Vinny remained on Abbey Hills Road unmoved.

Vinny suffered a serious head injury during the sustained attac, and despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he tragically passed away a short time later.

Less than six hours later - in the early hours of Friday morning – Burns was arrested on suspicion of murder after our officers established his identity following extensive CCTV research.

Vinny's fiancée, Demi Leigh Sykes paid tribute to her partner on the steps of Manchester Crown Court following the sentencing hearing: "I cannot put into words how big a hole has been left in our family since Vinny was killed in November. He was my rock and not having him there has been so hard for everyone. I have so many memories that will live on with me forever, from our walks on the moors, to getting engaged and finding out we were going to be a family with the arrival of our son Frankie.

"We all feel the pain from Vinny's death but it's Frankie who will suffer the most. He will grow up without his daddy but we will make sure every day that he knows he has an angel watching over him."

Detective Inspector Paul Davies from our Serious Crime Division said: “I would like to convey my deepest condolences to Vinny’s fiancé Demi and their son Frankie, who will have to continue their lives without Vinny, something that will undoubtedly leave a huge void in their family.

“Vinny and Lee Burns were friends and spent the evening in their local pub. Whilst walking home, Burns began to shout and become aggressive toward Vinny before taking him to the floor. He continued to assault him, knocking him unconscious as he lay defenceless on the ground.

“Burns then made his way home making no attempt to get help for Vinny. Throughout this trial, he has maintained innocence saying he was acting in self-defence.

“Our investigation has been meticulous, and we were able to draw up a timeline of both men’s movements, securing CCTV and audio footage from local premises.

“I would like to thank the initial attending officers and the investigating team whose swift actions, hard work and dedication ensured Burns was identified and arrested within a short space of time.

“We will continue to support Vinny’s family in every way we can, and I hope today’s result can go some way to providing closure for them.”

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