Rochdale Man jailed for life after brutally killing 21-year-old with axe

37-year-old Keiran Oldham will serve a minimum term of 22 years after being convicted of the murder of 21-year-old Liam Richardson by a jury at Minshull Street Crown in Manchester.

Oldham had carried out an attack, in his Rochdale home, with an axe resulting in the death of Liam Richardson in October 2022.

Speaking about her beloved son, Susan Hartley as part of her evidence, said:

“There are no words that can describe how we feel as a family.

“On the 3rd of October I received the worst news that any parent could ever imagine. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I felt like the world had come crashing down on me and my family and to this day, that feeling has not gone away. I do not understand how one person can do such a thing to another. When I told the rest of our children, I don’t feel that they processed it very well at all.

“Watching my children grieve for their brother has truly broken my heart.

“Myself and my family will continue to love Liam like he is still here with us, but while grieving because he is not. We will never get over losing him and I hope we can do him proud while he watches down on us.”

Detective Inspector Rachel Smith, of Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team, said: “This was a horrific and sustained attack that took place in Kieran Oldham’s House. Liam had been staying with Oldham at the address and were believed to be friends, with evidence suggesting he was bullied.

“Oldham though violently killed Liam and then left him in his address before going on to commit further offences in the vicinity over the next few hours before he was arrested.”

Liam Richardson had been staying at Oldham’s house on Monday 3rd October 2022. Officers had been called to the address after midnight after reports of a disturbance.

When entering the house the police found Liam’s body at the stop of the stairs with an axe near him.

Around four hours later, bare-chested, without shoes and with blood on his tracksuit bottoms and hands, Oldham turned up at the house of two of his friends

For the next hour and a half, Oldham kept the couple prisoner in their own bedroom while exhibiting threatening and unusual behaviour.

One of the victims managed to call 999 but Oldham fled before police arrived.

Oldham then proceeded to nearby Gale Street where, armed with an iron bar, he damaged a parked car.

A 17-year-old male resident witnessed this and went out into the street to remonstrate but Oldham struck him with the bar.

Police officers arrived a short time later and arrested Oldham on suspicion of murder.

Oldham had pleaded guilty to false imprisonments and affray, but denied murder, instead offering a plea to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility.

However, a jury at Minshull Street Crown Court found Oldham guilty of murder and he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 22 years today (Friday 24 March 2023) along with false imprisonment and affray to run concurrently.

Detective Inspector Rachel Smith, of Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team, said:

“I hope today’s sentence brings some comfort to Liam’s family and friends, who have attended court every day of this trial and have had to listen to the details of this despicable crime. As officers we always want to bring justice to the families of victims and we are pleased in some way we have been able to do that and give them some form of closure to their continued agony and understandable pain. Our thoughts as a force remain with his loved ones after today’s sentencing.”