Teenagers sentenced to 36 years for murdering Eccles man
The two, an 18-year-old and 17-year old received a minimum sentence of 19 and 17 years respectively
Last updated 28th Jan 2022
Two teenage members of a drugs gang have been detained for life for the brutal murder of a vulnerable man whose home they had "cuckooed".
Jacob Cookson, 18, and Logan Eaton, 17, took over the flat of Leigh Smith, 48, last year for their drug activities. Cookson, the joint head of the Salford organised crime group, and his trusted lieutenant, Eaton, helped run a sophisticated operation in which Cookson earned £7,000 a week.
Many homes of addicts were taken over for the preparation and distribution of heroin and crack cocaine in a practice known as "cuckooing", Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
Mr Smith, known as Leroy, was targeted shortly after he moved into an assisted flat in Eccles, Greater Manchester.
He was said to be "proud" of his new home and had begun to turn his life around from his spiral into drug addiction and a spell of homelessness. However his progress was undone when he came into contact with the defendants, the court was told.
On June 16 last year, Cookson was assaulted by another man at Mr Smith's address and mistakenly concluded Mr Smith set up the attack.
Armed with knives, Cookson and Eaton returned to the victim's flat on the evening of June 21 to "teach him a lesson".
Mr Smith sustained multiple wounds including one to his leg which severed a major artery and left him immobile as he bled to death.
Sentencing Cookson and Eaton to minimum terms of 19 years and 17 years in custody, Judge Alan Conrad QC told them: "Your thoughts were only for yourselves as you fled the scene and simply carried on with your drug supplying."
Both were convicted following a six-week trial on the prosecution's case that they intended to cause really serious harm to Mr Smith.
Addressing the pair on Friday, the judge added: "I have come to the conclusion you are both youths who are experienced in crime with business acumen and hardened criminal attitudes which show no sign of changing in the near future.
"In particular you, Jacob Cookson, controlled, managed and manipulated a whole range of people with differing degrees of vulnerability.
"You are both emotionally mature beyond your years."
In a statement read to the court, Mr Smith's mother Jackie Roycroft said her eldest son, a father-of-one, was a "funny, caring person" before his addiction took hold.
She said: "It is no secret my son had made mistakes but he was my son and he was still a human being.
"To the people responsible for this - why? How could you leave him there bleeding to death? For what?"
Reporting restrictions on publishing the identity of youth Eaton were lifted by the judge.
Detective Chief Insp Ben Cottam said: "Cuckooing is a horrendous practice which we are determined to crack down on in Greater Manchester.
"If you think a family member or neighbour may be a victim of cuckooing then please get in touch with police so we can help them."
Leigh's sister, Emma read a short statement on behalf of his family outside of court: