On Monday 23rd Jan 2023, seven men were convicted for the 2022 murder of Wigan Dad and former boxer, Christopher Hughes, 37. Last year a gang mainly made up of Albanians conducted their own foreign brand of violent vigilante justice in the increasingly lawless and migrant occupied UK, when they hacked an English man to death for a crime he had nothing to do with.

During the trial at Liverpool Crown Court which began on October 20, it was heard that the gang spent over 24 hours ruthlessly searching for Mr Hughes, whom they wrongly suspected of the knifepoint rape of a teenage girl behind a post office in Ridyard Street, Wigan, without thinking of contacting the Police about their evidence. Forensic examination revealed the semen on the victim’s clothing didn’t match Hughes DNA.

Eventually they their suspect on Almond Grove, Wigan, here the victim was punched to the ground, in broad daylight in front of witnesses. They bundled their victim into the back of a blue Audi. Albanian ringleader Erland Spahiu, 34, told the court the helpless victim could be heard in the boot asking ‘what have I done wrong?’ The Audi was then driven at speed to White Moss Road South, Skelmersdale, where it was recorded on cctv arriving at the scene at 16:48 and leaving 20 minutes later.

Here Hughes was brutally stabbed to death in what must have been a horrific and excruciatingly painful ordeal. He was stabbed 90 times and had knife injuries to his head, face, neck, torso, buttocks, hands, leg, ankle and intimate parts of his anatomy. Defensive injuries showed he had ben fighting for his life but he had been overwhelmed by his attackers and died shortly after the attack.

On the evening following the killing gang members Erland Spahiu, Dean O’Neill Davey, Andrius Uzkuraitis and Erion Voja visiting from Croydon, had formed a burial party to hide the body. They were digging a grave on nearly waste land when they were disturbed by police cars investigating a road traffic accident nearby, however they abandoned the burial without the Police working out what was going on.

The victim’s body was found four days after his death by a woman and her dog walking near the M58 at Skelmersdale.

Prosecuting KC John Elvidge said 

“There is no evidence that he raped her. There is no evidence that she ever knew him or identified him. He said to his friend and family this was nothing to do with him.”

“None of that mattered to the defendants who simply sought retribution. Rather than allow the police to investigate they acted as vigilantes. They were not interested in handing him over to the police so evidence could be submitted for consideration,”

Curtis Balbas, 31, of Matheson Drive, Wigan, an Iraqi Kurdish migrant had already pleaded guilty to the kidnap before the trial began.

On Monday the following men were convicted for the murder of Mr Hughes

• Erland Spahiu, 34, Uppingham, Skelmersdale – Albanian
• Dean O’Neill Davey, 30, of Conrad Close
• Martin Smith, 34, of Greenwood Avenue
• Alan Jaf, 52, Ridyard Street, Wigan
• Khalil Awla, 48, of Greenwood Avenue
• Mohammed Razgar, 40, of Plane Avenue, Worsley
• Erion Voja, 21, of Peall Road, Croydon – Albanian cousin of Erland Spahiu

Christopher’s mum, Susan, said:

“The family of Chris wish everyone to respect their privacy at this difficult time and are heartbroken at the loss of their loving son, father, brother and uncle. He will leave a part in the family that can never be filled. RIP Christopher David Hughes.”

A sentencing date is expected to be set on January 24th 2023.